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Descriptions, photos and reviews of the lilac Beauty of Moscow speak of the variety as one of the most beautiful not only in Russia, but also in the world. Breeder Kolesnikov L.A. created the lilac Beauty of Moscow in 1947 on the basis of his own variety “I.V. Michurin" and the French "Belle de Nancy". The picturesque shrub is used for landscaping and cutting into bouquets.
Description of lilac Beauty of Moscow
Lilac Beauty of Moscow is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub. The species belongs to the common lilac. The height of the lilac bush Beauty of Moscow in adulthood reaches 3-4 m.
The bush grows spreading with strong branches. The leaves are opposite, large, simple, ovate-elongated. Above - smooth, bright green, below - with a slight dullness. The leaves fall green. In the photo of the common lilac Beauty of Moscow, large pink-purple buds are visible. The frost and drought resistance of the variety is good.
How the Moscow beauty lilac blooms
Common lilac Beauty of Moscow belongs to group I of white lilacs. The flowers are white with a light, visible purple bloom in the middle, symmetrical, terry in shape. The size of the flower is 2-2.5 cm. The petals are raised and curved inward.
Blooms profusely. The inflorescences are arranged vertically, consist of 1-2 strong panicles, measuring 25 by 12 cm. The flowers have a rich aroma. Flowering lasts 3 weeks, from May to June.
Features of reproduction
A feature of the cultivar lilac variety Beauty of Moscow is that propagation is possible only by vegetative means. With the seed method, parental characteristics are not transmitted.
One of the simplest methods of vegetative propagation is layering. The side shoot is pressed into a groove in the soil and independent shoots with roots are formed on it, which are then separated from the parent shoot. Cuttings of lilac Beauty of Moscow using only green shoots. Semi-lignified and lignified cuttings take root poorly.
One of the most difficult methods of propagating shrubs is grafting. This method is used in nurseries because it requires certain knowledge and skills.
Planting and caring for lilacs Beauty of Moscow
The photo of the lilac Beauty of Moscow in landscape design shows that the shrub is planted both in single plantings and in groups.
In groups, a distance of 1 m is maintained between individual plants, taking into account the growth of crops. The photo shows that the Moscow beauty lilac is used to form hedges and lay out alleys.
Recommended timing
In the middle zone, the lilac variety Beauty of Moscow is planted from mid-summer to early autumn.Bare-rooted seedlings are planted as soon as possible after digging. With a closed root system - during the growing season. Young plants take root better than mature bushes.
Site selection and soil preparation
Lilac Beauty of Moscow grows well in shade, but not in constant shade. It shows abundant flowering only when growing in illuminated areas.
The description of the lilac variety Beauty of Moscow says that the preferred soil for cultivation is fertile, well-drained loam.
How to plant correctly
For planting, choose a cloudy day or evening. The size of the planting hole depends on the initial quality of the soil and is usually twice the size of the earthen ball. The depth of the planting hole is made according to the height of the seedling. In an unsuitable area, a larger hole is dug to replace the soil with light and fertile one. Clay or heavy soils are loosened with a mixture of fertile soil and sand. Earth with an acidic reaction is deoxidized in advance with lime or dolomite flour. A drainage layer is laid at the bottom of the planting hole.
Part of the fertile layer is poured onto the drainage. The seedling is released vertically into the hole; the root collar is not buried. The roots are evenly distributed.
When filling with soil, no voids should form so that the roots do not dry out. Therefore, the soil is compacted well after planting. After planting, an earthen roller is built along the diameter of the trunk so that the water does not spread during irrigation. Then the plant is watered abundantly.Mulch is applied to the soil surface.
Growing lilac Moscow beauty
Reviews of the lilac Beauty of Moscow describe the shrub as unpretentious. Growing and caring for the Beauty of Moscow lilac involves weeding, mulching, fertilizing and watering.
Watering
The variety Beauty of Moscow is drought-resistant. But for abundant flowering when there is a lack of moisture from precipitation, the bushes are watered additionally. In hot weather, the amount of watering is increased. Young plants are watered more often than older ones. In September, intensively water underground to form new roots.
Top dressing
Feeding of lilac Beauty of Moscow begins in the second year of cultivation. Use mineral and organic fertilizers. Feeding is carried out three times per season. The first time in the spring, after thawing the soil, with nitrogen-containing fertilizers, the next time, at intervals of 20-25 days, using infusions of mullein, slurry or ash.
Mulching
The soil under the bush is mulched with peat, humus or tree bark. A protective layer is poured 5-7 cm high, 5 cm away from the tillering center. Mulching helps the soil not to overheat and inhibits the growth of weeds.
Under the mulch, a favorable microenvironment is created in which the bush grows strong and healthy and is less susceptible to disease.
Trimming
The shrub tolerates pruning well. The degree of pruning depends on the size of the shoots and the required shape of the bush. In mature bushes, stems with weak growth are cut off at soil level.
In order for the lilac Beauty of Moscow to bloom profusely every year, the dried inflorescences of the current year, along with part of the branch, are cut off in a timely manner.
You can form a standard plant yourself. This will take about 5 years. The strongest shoot is selected, which becomes the future trunk, and side shoots are regularly removed from it.
For bush pruning work, use sharp, clean garden tools. To avoid damaging the bush, it is not recommended to break out branches.
Preparing for winter
In autumn, after the leaves have fallen, the branches are cleared of lichens, and the remaining leaves are removed. The bush is sprayed with copper-containing preparations. Mature bushes do not need shelter. The soil around the young seedlings is covered with peat or humus, in a layer of 10-15 cm. In winter, the bush is covered with snow. Lilac Beauty of Moscow on a standard is less resistant to cold weather. For the winter, the trunks are covered with burlap or light-colored non-woven materials.
Diseases and pests
The plant is highly resistant to various pathogenic organisms. The shrub can be damaged by lilac moth and lilac hawkmoth. Caterpillars parasitize the leaves of the plant and overwinter in the soil. The affected specimen loses its decorative effect, slows down its growth and blooms little. If pests are detected, the bush is sprayed before and after flowering with insecticides, for example, Iskra or Inta-Vir.
Lilac is the least susceptible to disease among all ornamental shrubs. But a weakened plant is susceptible to viral, mycoplasma, fungal and bacterial infections. Only fungal infections can be treated.To prevent the occurrence, the ornamental shrub, like the rest of the garden, is sprayed with broad-spectrum fungicides in the spring. They create a healthy environment, clear the growing area of weeds, and feed it on time.
Conclusion
Descriptions, photos and reviews of the lilac Beauty of Moscow show one of the most beautiful varieties of flowering shrubs. Lilac is distinguished not only by its decorative value, but also by its ability to purify the air. The lilac variety Beauty of Moscow is not difficult to care for and grow; it delights gardeners with its fragrant May blooms.
