Lilac

Family of olive.

Deciduous shrubs or trees;leaves are opposite;Inflorescence is a complex panicle having an internal structure, flowers with a tubular aureole with a wide four-bladed limb;fruit - bivalves. Lilac Amur * Up to 15 m high;the trunk is strong;leaves vary from broadly oval to elongated;inflorescence broadly metered, up to 20 cm long, flowers up to 0.6 cm in diameter, creamy-white, fragrant;blooms in early June. The peculiarity of the species is the gas resistance of the plant, which allows it to grow in large industrial cities with an unfavorable ecological situation. Lilac Hungarian ♦ Up to 4.5 m high;branches are erect;young shoots are purple-violet;leaves up to 13 cm in length, vary from broadly elliptical to elongate-elliptical, often with depressed veins, in summer - dark green, in the autumn from above are violet, from below - yellowish;inflorescences with clearly defined tiers, up to 30 cm long, flowers up to 1 cm in diameter, lilac-violet, fragrant;blooms in late May. It is often used as a stock for other types of lilac. Lilac Chinese * Bush up to 3.5 m tall;the crown is almost sprawling, the shoots arched curiously;leaves vary from narrow-ovoid to ovate-lanceolate, from above with silky luster;inflorescence paniculate, up to 50 cm long( sometimes longer), flowers up to 2 cm in diameter, simple or terry, lilac buds, open flowers red-lilac( there are garden forms with white flowers);blooms in May. With very abundant flowering, the seeds do not form.

Common lilac ♦ Shrub up to 7 m high - leaves heart-shaped or broadly oval-pointed;inflorescences paired, paniculate, up to 18 cm long, flowers up to 1.2 cm in diameter, different coloring in different varieties, fragrant;blooms in May. About 350 varieties are known. The most common varieties: "Jeanne d'Arc" - terry flowers, white;"Captain Balte" - flowers terry, pink;"Kievlyanka" - flowers are lilac-pink;"Congo" - flowers purple-violet;"Dream" - the flowers are blue or purple-blue;"Mont Blanc" - flowers simple, white;"Pink cloud" - pink flowers, etc. Lilac Persian ♦ Shrub up to 3 m high;the shape of the crown is close to round;leaves ovate-lanceolate, there is a variety with openwork cut leaves( its bush is twice less);inflorescence paniculate, flowers up to 2 cm in diameter, lilac or mauve, fragrant;blossoms 5 to 6 days after lilac vulgaris.

Relatively unpretentious plants. Requirements for moisture: relatively drought-resistant plant( in hot, dry weather, it does not die, but may lose its decorative effect).

Requirements for heat and light: winter-hardy, light-loving plant( in the shade blooms less abundantly).

Requirements for soil: Preferred loose fertile soil with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction.

Propagation: by seeds and grafting on other types of lilac or on an ambulance( from the middle of July).

Features: requires annual pruning and cleaning of the crown, removal of the seedling.

Use: gardens, flowering hedges.