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When Meyer's dwarf lilac first appeared on the market, it created a real revolution in people's minds. After all, it has now become possible to grow lilacs in the tiniest areas and even in containers and balcony boxes. But Meyer's lilac Palibin broke all popularity records. After all, this is the tiniest representative of the already not very gigantic species of Meyer lilac.
Description of the variety
Among all varieties of Meyer lilac, Palibin is distinguished by the smallest size. This baby usually reaches a height of no more than 60-80 cm. Although in some particularly favorable conditions it can grow up to 100 cm. But its growth rate is also very slow. Over the course of a year, the length of the branches is good if it increases by 5-8 cm. But it is capable of blooming at a fairly young age, being a very small bush, literally 20-30 cm in height.
Even without special pruning, the Mayer Palibin lilac variety forms an attractive rounded crown that spreads in width to a distance of up to 1.5 m.The branches are brown in color, which becomes lighter and grayer over time. Small and shiny oval-heart-shaped leaves densely cover rather long branches. On the reverse side they have a lighter color.
The inflorescences look like elongated cone-shaped columns, 8-10 cm long. The buds of the Meyer Palibin lilac have a rich dark purple hue, clearly visible in the photo, which changes to pink-purple when blooming.
But by the end of the flowering period, the color of the flowers fades slightly and turns into light purple. Palibin lilac flowers have an attention-grabbing, charming aroma that is difficult to pass by without noticing it.
Depending on how early or late the spring was, Mayer Palibin lilacs may bloom in late May or as early as June.
Plants of this variety have a very compact and shallow root system, so they can easily be grown in almost any container and even in a balcony box. But it should be understood that in winter the soil in any container or box freezes much easier and faster than in the thickness of the earth. Therefore, containers are usually brought into a practically frost-free room for the winter or buried in the garden for the winter. Balcony boxes are usually not so easy to remove, so they need to be additionally insulated or, on particularly frosty days, provided with an additional heating system for the rooms where the Palibin lilac plants will overwinter.
By the way, among the characteristics of this variety one can note good resistance to smoke and air pollution. This fact is an additional advantage for growing Meyer Palibin lilacs in urban conditions.
The frost resistance of lilac bushes of this variety is also noteworthy. They will fully survive frosts in winter down to -28-30 °C. But due to the shallow root system, the soil surface around the bushes needs additional insulation and maintaining a constant snow cover in winter.
In general, unpretentiousness to various conditions was one of the reasons for the special popularity of lilacs of this variety. Palibin can be called a heat-resistant variety. And it can even do without regular watering. Its unpretentiousness to soil allows it to be grown almost anywhere on the site. True, like most lilacs, Palibin is not indifferent to sunlight.
This variety is also famous for its remontability. That is, lilac bushes are able to bloom again around August and September. Usually the flowers formed at this time are not so numerous. However, a lot here depends, first of all, on the timely removal of drying flowers during the spring flowering period.
Reproduction methods
Meyer Palibin lilac can be propagated using the following methods:
- seeds;
- cuttings;
- layering;
- root suckers;
- vaccinations.
The first and last methods are quite complex and can be left to professionals. And the three remaining methods are quite suitable for ordinary gardeners.
Meyer Palibin lilac cuttings are usually cut during the period coinciding with flowering. But you should choose branches that lack both buds and flower buds. The branches are cut into cuttings no longer than 20-25 cm.Each of them should have at least 2-3 buds. The lower cut is made obliquely, treated with a growth stimulator and stuck into a light, moistened substrate to a depth of 2-3 cm. It can consist of sand or vermiculite. To maintain humidity, you can build a small improvised greenhouse on top. Roots usually appear in late summer and fall. If possible, it is better to store the rooted cuttings in a frost-free room until planting them in a permanent place next season. Palibin lilac cuttings can bloom as early as next year, as in the photo.
You can leave the rooted cuttings in the ground, properly insulating them for the winter.
To propagate by layering, you need to choose one of the lilac shoots closest to the ground. In the spring it is pressed to the ground, covered with earth and watered regularly throughout the summer. By autumn, roots appear at the point of contact with the ground. The plant can be separated from the mother bush and planted separately.
Reproduction by root suckers is one of the easiest ways. True, provided that the lilac is initially rooted and not grafted. Otherwise, when you separate the root shoots, you can get not the desired variety, but the one for which the graft was made. By the way, Meyer lilac, unlike ordinary lilacs, produces root shoots with great difficulty. Therefore, you should not place high hopes on this method.
Planting and caring for Palibin lilacs
Due to the undemanding nature of the plants, even a novice gardener can easily plant and care for Meyer Palibin lilacs.
When to plant
The ideal period for planting Meyer lilacs is the end of summer, August or September. In any case, you need to wait for cool, and most importantly, cloudy weather.Or time the process for the evening.
Site selection and soil preparation
As has been mentioned many times, the Meyer Palibin lilac will be able to survive almost anywhere it is planted. But this plant is planted for its abundant flowering, and it can only be expected in a sunny place. If you have to plant lilacs in a depression where water can stagnate, then during planting it is necessary to provide a drainage layer of at least 10-15 cm.
The soil does not require special preparation. The only exceptions are completely depleted, very acidic or saline soils.
- In the first case, when planting, you need to add humus and a certain amount of long-lasting fertilizers.
- In the second case, add chalk or lime.
- In the latter option, a special mixture of humus, turf soil and sand in equal proportions is prepared to fill the planting hole.
How to plant
If lilac seedlings with an open root system are used, then a day before planting they must be soaked in water, and then all roots must be inspected. If there are diseased or damaged roots, they are cut back to a healthy place. Roots that are too long are slightly shortened.
Meyer Palibin lilac seedlings with a closed root system do not require any additional processing. They are simply placed in a hole slightly larger in size than the volume of the roots and sprinkled with planting mixture. Then they irrigate, compact the soil around the trunk and cover it with a 5cm layer of mulch.
Rules of care
Caring for Meyer Palibin lilacs is not at all difficult.
Watering the crop is necessary only in the first months after planting, if the weather is dry, so that it takes root well. In the future, attention is paid to watering only during the flowering of lilacs. The rest of the time, she can cope quite well with the help of natural moisture.
Regular application of fertilizers will also not bring much benefit. They can only cause wild growth of greenery to the detriment of flowering. You can feed the bushes once every two years: in early spring and immediately after the end of spring flowering.
But the Palibin lilac plants will respond with great gratitude to regular mulching of the land around the bushes. This will protect them from the invasion of weeds, retain moisture at the roots, and provide extra nutrients.
As for pruning, it is imperative to remove wilted inflorescences. Only in this case can you count on abundant flowering again. Sanitary pruning should also be carried out regularly, that is, removing thickening, broken and unsightly looking branches.
The Meyer Palibin lilac looks very beautiful on a trunk. In this case, the shape of the trunk must be regularly maintained. After all, fresh buds will constantly appear on the trunk, which will need to be removed. And in the upper part of the crown, its shape is maintained by regularly shortening the ends of the shoots in early spring.
The Meyer Palibin lilac overwinters very well and can freeze slightly only in snowless and especially frosty winters. But it recovers quickly.
Diseases and pests
Meyer lilac Palibin shows good resistance to diseases and pests. However, in the spring, before the buds open, it can be treated prophylactically with copper-containing preparations.
When insect pests (lilac hawkmoth, bud mite, moth) appear, the bushes are sprayed with any insecticide suitable according to the instructions.
Lilac Palibin in landscape design
Professional designers love to use Palibin lilac to create a variety of compositions.This plant can be used both in borders and hedges. Moreover, to add a colorful accent or to obtain a spectacular flowering fence.
It will look good in single or combined groups, in flower beds, and in rock gardens.
You can decorate your yard, terrace or veranda with Meyer Palibin lilacs by planting them in separate containers. We have also already mentioned the use of this miniature flowering shrub to decorate balconies.
In cities, Palibin lilac is often used for landscaping children's playgrounds, recreation areas, school gardens, and city courtyards.
Looks good against the background of conifers, as well as next to honeysuckle, barberry, hydrangea, and tree peony.
Conclusion
The miniature and fragrant Meyer Palibin lilac will be a welcome guest in any area under any conditions. Rarely in any other plant can one find a combination of so many advantages at the same time.
Reviews
Reviews of Meyer Palibin lilac are quite consistent with the popularity of this unpretentious variety.
Greetings.
Last spring I planted Meyer lilacs on the property.
I haven't seen it bloom yet.
I'm sure everything will be fine.