The Persian lilac is an excellent decoration for a large garden and for a modestly sized front garden in a summer cottage. The lush "constellations" of its flowers delight the eye, the aroma, intensifying in the evening coolness, envelops with a gentle cloud and gives bliss.

Plant description

The lilac (named after the ancient Greek mollusk plant by the name of Syringa) belongs to the olive family and is distinguished by an enviable variety - about 2,000 varieties today, which was greatly facilitated by breeders. It is believed that the Persian lilac (Syringa persica) replenished the list of ornamental plants in 1640. Gardening breeders brought her out by crossing the Afghan lilac - Syringa afghanika with a small-cut - Syringa laciniata. The resulting specimens are relatively small compared to other representatives of the species — from two to three meters tall (normal) and from one to two meters (dwarf Persian lilacs), with very spreading branches. Young branches are almost naked, pubescent rather weakly. Older ones are thin, gray or brown, nickel in an arc.

Inflorescences of the Persian lilac are unusually lush, they are egg-shaped. They are so thick and dense in appearance, like terry. Fluffy wide "panicles" develop from the side buds located at the very top of the branches, and grow up to ten centimeters in length and about seven in width. A characteristic feature of the Persian is late flowering, from the end of May almost until the end of June. And in the south of Russia it can please with flowers and the second time, in the early autumn.

Its lateral inflorescences are shorter than the branches.The pleasant aroma of blooming sultans of white, lilac-pink or white with a light shine of lilac shades differs from the typical "lilac" to which we are accustomed. Another nuance is the Persian lilac is a purely decorative, artificially bred variety. In the wild, it does not grow.

Popular varieties of olive miracle

In the thousands of varieties of lilac varieties Persian does not take up too much space. As it turned out, it is not so readily amenable to selection as taller counterparts from a large group of ordinary lilacs. Persian beauty is not often found in gardens in our latitudes. Even in central Russia, it does not always withstand winter frosts and dies. Yes, and does not breed too willingly. To grow a “Persian” from seeds is very problematic and troublesome, and cuttings do not take root easily.

So, lovers of ornamental shrubs have to be content with what they have, the three most attractive and popular types:

  • Alba - it can be recognized by its snow-white brushes and its exquisite unsharp smell with sweet notes;
  • Laciniata - inflorescences of small white-lilac “cups” with catkins bow down, hanging on thin branches;
  • Nibra - with lush tassels of lilac pink, closer to red, color.

How to plant a Persian lilac

So that the culture does not require too much attention, it is necessary to observe several mandatory conditions during planting.

  1. Choose a beautiful place for the beauty - light, dry, sunny and protected from the wind. In the shade of the whim, it may completely refuse to bloom, and in the constantly moist earth, the young roots of the bush are quickly taken to die.
  2. Consider that the "Persian" needs fertile land. Sandy, heavy clay does not suit her. If you know that the soil in your area is suffering from excessive acidity, reduce it by adding lime.
  3. Prepare a small pit so that the root ball just lies in it. Fill it immediately with fertilizer - wood ash.
  4. Place the seedlings so that the root neck remains at the level of the soil surface. Remember to mulch the basal circle.
  5. In the large garden, place the "newcomers" three meters apart. The Persian lilac, although it does not differ in growth, is very spreading and needs considerable living space. The permissible minimum distance between plants is one and a half meters.

In natural conditions, lilac is an inhabitant of the mountains. It blooms in spring, when it rains a lot, and mountain rivers fill up after snow melt. During the summer heat, she falls asleep, and by autumn she is able to bloom again. therefore in central Russia, it is better to plant it no earlier than mid-July and no later than the beginning of September, when the state of rest lasts.

Outdoor Care

Careful care for the olive miracle will be needed only in the first few years of life, while the young bush is gaining strength. Then regular cropping will be enough.

  1. Young growth should be generously - 25-30 liters per bush - to drink during the summer drought, especially in August. Adult lilacs are able to provide themselves with water independently.
  2. Root shoots, and excess shoots must be removed.
  3. To form a beautiful crown, constant cropping is necessary.
  4. It will take the plowing of land in the root circle - at least three times a season, and the destruction of weeds.
  5. The first two or three years, young Persian lilacs are fed a small dose of nitrogen, after which 60-80 grams of ammonium nitrate will be enough for each bush. Once every two to three years it is not superfluous to treat the plant with top dressing containing potassium and phosphorus.
  6. When the flowering season comes, you will have to protect the "Persian" from the invasion of May beetles and collect insects by hand. And also cut off inflorescences - up to 60 percent. The house is prettier from fragrant bouquets, and the bush will be able to form new flower clusters.

Experienced gardeners strongly recommend transplanting young lilacs a couple of years after planting.The fact is that it quickly sucks nutrients out of the ground. So fast that even top dressing does not help. A nutritional deficiency will affect the condition of the plant; it will prevent blooming as before.

Plant propagation methods

In comparison with other types of lilac, Persian in reproduction is rather capricious and will require knowledge and patience. There are several methods.

  1. Cuttings. It is considered the least time-consuming and quite effective, it allows you to quickly, in just a season, get a solid seedling with a strong rhizome. But there are also disadvantages: Persian lilac cuttings are hard to root, so it is important to observe the rules:
  • cutting time for cuttings - immediately after flowering or even during it;
  • it is better to cut them in the morning, choosing in the middle of the crown of young bushes the sprouts with a couple of nodules and short internodes that did not have time to numb;
  1. Jigging. In the spring, a young branch is chosen, which has begun to become stiff, pulled by copper wire at the beginning and again through 70-80 centimeters. In this case, the bark should not be affected. Then the branch is bent and the shoot is dug in a shallow groove, leaving the apex above the ground. To make the matter a success, they pour water over the whole summer, pick up weed grass, and if necessary, pour fresh soil. If everything is done correctly, before the onset of cold weather, depositing can be separated from the “parent” in the hauling places and grow to the state of full-fledged seedlings.
  2. The seed method of breeding Persian lilacs is most often used by specialists in nurseries. For amateurs, it is too long, complicated and time-consuming.

Disease and Pest Prevention

Like any living creature, the Persian lilac is subject to various ailments, especially if the gardener is inexperienced and has made agricultural mistakes. Therefore, you need to know how to prevent them, and what to do if the plant still gets sick.

There is a risk:

  • Fusarium, or vascular wilt. This is possible when the Persian lilac is planted too deep or grows in heavy soil;
  • necrosis, rotting of the roots, the appearance of brown spots on the leaves. All this provokes a deficiency of potassium, so potash top dressing must be present;
  • rot on the shoots. It happens due to branch injuries, excess nitrogen or acids in the soil, stagnant water. Conclusion: the firm belief that breaking off branches of lilacs is only for her good - no more than a myth. Abuse of nitrogen-containing fertilizers is not worth it. You need to plant a bush on a dry site. And lime helps to heal acidic soil;
  • the invasion of insects - a lilac mite, acacia scale insects, weevils, cicadas and other harmful fraternities. Salvation from them - special chemicals;
  • viral and mycoplasmic ailments. It’s a pity, but fighting them is useless. You can try to stop the disease at the initial stage by cutting off diseased shoots. However, most often the end is uprooting of the bush and disinfection of the soil.

Use in landscape design

It was to create amazing landscapes that the Persian lilac was bred almost half a millennium ago. Any garden in which red, white, delicate-lilac perfection blooms in the spring and begins to smell fragrant is miraculously reincarnated. This ornamental shrub is often placed at the very entrance to the garden plot as a kind of gate. The dwarf variety is good in the form of a flowering fence, especially when bushes with a different shade of inflorescences alternate. It looks very advantageous in compositions with low conifers: rather wide leaves of lilac and thin needles of thuja or fir create a nice contrast. In a small area where only one bush is located, the Persian lilac may look like a real queen in a frame of forest, crocus and hyacinths on a flower bed, picturesquely lined with stone. However, in this case, you will have to take care that the crown remains impeccable: the Persian beauty will attract eyes and should always be “in shape”.

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