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Congo lilac (pictured) is one of the early flowering varieties. Used to form alleys in parks, looks good in compositions with other trees and shrubs. The culture is self-sufficient as a tapeworm. A description of Congo lilac with a photo will help you become more familiar with the variety, learn about its advantages and disadvantages, propagation methods and other nuances of agricultural technology.
Description of Congo lilac
According to the description, the common Congo lilac is a tall variety, its length is 3-4 m. The crown of the seedling is thick and dense, round in shape. The foliage is glossy, green, and presented in the shape of a heart.
The Congo variety shrub is light-loving, but tolerates moderate partial shade. In the shade it loses its decorative effect and stops blooming. The plant prefers moderately moist soils and grows well in fertile soils and loams.
How the Congo lilac blooms
The Congo lilac variety is an early bloomer. Dark purple buds bloom in early May. The flowers are bright, purple-lilac, fade in the sun and change shade, becoming light purple.The buds have a pungent odor, characteristic of lilac bushes. The petals of the flowers are broadly oval and become flat after blooming. The flowers are collected in dense, wide-pyramidal inflorescences, the length of which reaches 20 cm. The diameter of the flowers does not exceed 2.5 cm.
Features of reproduction
There are several methods for propagating Congo lilacs. At home, shrubs are not propagated with seeds; vegetative methods are more suitable for these purposes:
- cuttings;
- layering;
- graft.
For planting on the site, you can purchase grafted or own-rooted shrubs. The advantage of the latter is that they are less demanding on growing conditions, tolerate winter better and recover faster after freezing, and can also be used in the future for vegetative propagation. In addition, the lifespan of self-rooted lilacs is much longer than that of grafted seedlings.
Planting and care
A correctly chosen place for planting is the key to the fact that Congo lilac will bloom and delight with its decorative effect for many years.
Recommended timing
In Central Russia, the best time for planting is the last ten days of August and all of September. This time is considered a dormant state for lilacs, and there is still time for rooting before the onset of frost.
Lilacs can be planted in early spring, but in this case there is a risk of damage to the shoots by return frosts.
If the seedling was purchased from a nursery and has a closed root system, then it can be planted at any suitable time from April to October.
Site selection and soil preparation
For planting Congo lilacs, sunny areas with fertile soils are chosen. The optimal conditions for Congo lilac are:
- a site located on a plain or gentle slope;
- fertile soil with good drainage;
- occurrence of groundwater at a level of 1.5 m;
- neutral soil acidity;
- good lighting;
- wind protection.
Pre-prepare the planting site and remove weeds. Standard pit dimensions are 50 cm in diameter and 60-70 cm deep. The dimensions of the pit depend on the condition of the soil and the development of the root system. The older the seedling, the larger the hole it needs.
How to plant correctly
A layer of drainage is poured into the bottom of the hole, which is used as gravel, small stones, and broken bricks. The next layer is a nutrient soil mixture. To prepare it, you will need to mix humus or compost with soil (in equal parts).
The earth is poured into the hole in the form of a hill. The prepared seedling is installed vertically, the roots are spread over the poured soil. Fill the hole with the remaining soil mixture, carefully compacting each layer.
Growing Congo lilac
In order for Congo lilac bushes to delight you with abundant blooms every year, you must follow some rules. Watering and fertilizing are important for the plant; mulching plays an important role, as well as timely pruning.
Watering
If the Congo lilac bush was planted in the spring, it must be moistened regularly, especially when hot, dry weather sets in. You should not overdo it with watering so that the roots do not rot from excess moisture. After watering, the soil in the near-trunk soil is loosened.
If there is no rain in the autumn, the Congo seedling is watered several times. Usually the bush has enough seasonal rainfall.
Mature shrubs are watered as needed. In dry times, the amount of watering is increased; if the weather is rainy, then additional moisture is not required.
Top dressing
Congo lilac will bloom more abundantly if fertilizing is distributed correctly. The first two years the seedling requires a minimum of fertilizers. In spring, you can apply a small amount of nitrogen under the bush. In the third year, you can use urea (50 g) or ammonium nitrate (70 g). For those who value naturalness, we can recommend the use of organic fertilizers - manure diluted in water (5:1). To water with manure liquid, dig a shallow trench around the planting site at a distance of at least 50 cm from the trunk. A nutrient solution is poured into the resulting moat.
Every three years, the plant is fertilized with a potassium-phosphorus mixture. For each bush you will need:
- 40 g superphosphate;
- 30 g of potassium nitrate.
Fertilizers are applied to the ground, deepening it to 7-10 cm, then the Congo lilac is watered.
Wood ash can be used as fertilizer. To do this, 1 bucket of water will require 300 g of powder.
Mulching
The mulching procedure helps solve several problems at once. Under a layer of mulch, moisture does not evaporate very quickly, so the amount of watering can be reduced. In addition, mulch prevents the growth of weeds and also becomes a source of fertilizer. The mulch substrate insulates the roots of the plant, so it is very important to renew the layer in the autumn. The mulching procedure is carried out twice: in autumn and spring.
Trimming
Congo lilac bushes require periodic pruning. There are several varieties of this operation:
- regulating flowering. Blooming inflorescences need to be trimmed.If you are late with the procedure, fading flowers will draw out the juices of the plant, which will negatively affect its appearance;
- pinching involves shortening the tops of healthy branches that are too long. This procedure stimulates the formation of stronger side shoots, which makes the Congo lilac bush dense and beautiful;
- sanitary removal of branches (thinning) is necessary for broken and diseased shoots. They are removed with pruning shears, and after the procedure the bush looks refreshed. In addition, thinning should be carried out when the bush is too thick. If there are too many branches, they begin to grow inward, become thin and fragile, and air exchange inside the crown is disrupted;
- pruning of the shoots is necessary if the bush has formed more than three main trunks. The shoots weaken the lilac bush, so it is cut off completely (at the root);
- A rejuvenating procedure is carried out for old lilac bushes. The procedure stimulates the formation of young, strong shoots. After the rejuvenating procedure, the tree can bloom only next year.
Preparing for winter
Congo lilac is hardy (USDA zone 3), but winter preparation is essential. To prevent freezing of the root system of seedlings, the tree trunk circle is mulched. Organic materials are used for shelter: straw, sawdust, peat.
Mulching is carried out after the air temperature has dropped to -5 ºC. Young seedlings of the Congo variety additionally need crown cover. If the branches freeze, the lilac may not bloom in the spring. The trunks are wrapped in burlap or special insulating material.
Insulation depends on the region in which lilacs are grown. For example, in Siberian conditions more serious preparation for winter will be required.The mulch layer should be increased to 20 cm, and the bush should be covered with agrospan and insulated with spruce branches.
Mature lilac bushes have good frost resistance, so tying the trunk is not required.
Diseases and pests
With proper care and a well-chosen place for planting, Congo lilac practically does not get sick. When a plant’s immunity decreases, the following diseases may develop:
- powdery mildew;
- bacterial necrosis;
- bacterial rot;
- verticillium.
Disease prevention involves regulating soil moisture, applying fertilizing, and carrying out sanitary pruning. Among the preparations, treatment with Bordeaux mixture is used.
Congo lilac bushes can be favored by insect pests: hawkmoths, leafminer moths, ticks, and moths. Chemicals are used to combat them. The crown is treated with Fozalon or Karbofos, Fitoverm, copper sulfate.
Conclusion
A description of the Congo lilac with a photo will help you choose a seedling to decorate your site. This variety of lilac is popular because... It is distinguished by early flowering and the unusual purple-lilac color of the inflorescences.
