Shrub Common & Scientific Name: Lilac; Syringa vulgaris Advanced Master Gardener: Jane Righter Best Variety:

There are many varieties ranging in color from purple, double pink, double reddish-purple, and double white, double blue, deep purple edged in white. It is estimated that there are over 2,000 cultivars. There are French hybrid lilacs, Canadian hybrid lilacs, Manchurian lilacs, but perhaps the best know variety is the common purple lilac. They are colorful early bloomers are a good choice for the Wests cold and snowy zones. Height & Width of plant: These bulky deciduous shrubs can reach as high as 20 tall, with equal spread. If they are not pruned regularly, they will get a very woody base, with flowers only on the top growth. Older overgrown lilacs can be renovated over time and can handle severe pruning. How to Propagate: Root cuttings should be taken in early spring. Take the cutting from the plants main root. I have taken the small shoots that start from the main plant by cutting the underground root away from the main plant. I then put them in sandy loam or soil and k.eep them watered and out of direct sun. They are slow to start, but will produce another plant, perhaps as long as two years. Stem cuttings should be taken just before to just after flowering or when new shoots are 4-6 long. Place under mist in a well drained media (sharp sand). Use bottom heat. This type of propagation is not as successful as root cuttings. Exposure: Lilacs prefer full sun. If they are somewhat shaded by another tree, they will become leggy to reach the sunlight. Soil type: They prefer well drained alkaline soil. I have over 15 common purple lilacs, most of which were propagated from cuttings that have done well in Boises alkaline soil. Culture: Cultural problems are related to gardening techniques, or lack of them. Some examples that are important are soil type, nutrients, watering, fertilizing, disease control, etc. Fertilizing: A good balanced chemical fertilizer will do in early spring. Soil amendments such as mulch will aid in better flowering in years to come. Watering: Water well when temperatures are very high. A regular watering schedule is important, perhaps an inch per week. Too much water can result in fungal disease. Pruning: Lilacs should be pruned early to develop good framework. Most produce their own flowers on the prior years wood and thus are pruned after blooming. Pruning consists of cutting diseased, misshapen and unproductive stems to the grown. Keep the shoots that are pencil-thick all the way to the end of the branches. Small, twiggy growth

is not productive and will not produce flowers. Removing stems may be done immediately after flowering. Deadheading is also part of the annual maintenance and should be done as soon as possible after the flower fades. The old flower cluster should be cut off at its base, just above the tow new shoots that angle out from the stem that ended with the old flower. The new shoots will grow over the summer, set flower buds, and be topped off with a flower cluster the following spring. Problems: The black vine weevil is about - long, reddish brown to black, an causes notching in the leaves. It feeds at night and remains in the soil at the base of the plant during the day, then climbs up to feed on leaves, leaving a notch cut on them. However, the main damage is done by the larvae, which feed through the winter and spring on the root systems. The larvae control should be done in the fall, adult control in early May. A soil drench is usually the best, using any insect killer (read label). Other problems to watch for may be borers, leaf roll, and powdery mildew. Powdery mildew is caused by a fungus. Infected leaves are covered with a thin layer of white powdery material. To correct, spray plants with a fungicide when the plants show the first sign of this problem. Borers: To identify borer damage, look at the stem which will appear swollen and cracked. The lilac borer is the larva of a brownish, clear winged moth that may be seen flying around the plant in late spring. They lay their eggs in bark wounds at the base of the stems which become swollen and may break where the larvae are feeding. The larvae spend the winter in the stems. You can cut the infested stems to ground level and destroy them. In late April, spray the stems with a borer and leaf miner spray. Repeat treatment in intervals of 7-10 days. Leaf rollers feed on the leaves and buds of woody ornamentals. Leaves are rolled and chewed. The insects spend the winter as eggs or larvae on the plant. In the spring the larvae feed on the young foliage, rolling one or more leaves around them. Some leaf rollers mature in summer and have several generations every year. In the fall the larvae mature into moths and lay overwintering eggs or spend the winter inside the rolled leaf. A systemic insect control or bacterial insecticide can be used in the spring when damage is first noticed. Lilacs are one of the first bursts of color in early spring and bud out in late April when the forsynthia is in bloom. The bloom period lasts until late May. Fall color is green when the plant will start to process all over again.