Content
Amur lilac is an unpretentious shrub with decorative properties. The plant is drought tolerant and rarely freezes out even in harsh winters. When growing Amur lilac, planting dates are taken into account, a place and soil are prepared. Active growth and flowering are provided by watering, feeding and pruning.
General description of the variety
Amur lilac is a deciduous shrub, a representative of the Olive family, the Lilac genus. It occurs naturally in the Far East, Manchuria, China, and Korea. The culture prefers mixed forests in valleys, sometimes growing on mountain slopes no more than 600 m above sea level. The shrub has a lifespan of up to 100 years.
An alternative name for Amur lilac is crackling. This is due to the fact that when burning damp branches, a strong crackle is observed. An interesting feature of this combustion is that sparks and coals are scattered in different directions for many meters.
The diameter of the crown of the Amur lilac is 2 - 3 m. The plant looks like a tree or shrub, which reaches a height of 10 m, sometimes grows up to 12 - 15 m. Its bark is brown or dark gray. Young branches have a reddish tint. Leaves 5 - 11 cm long, elliptical in shape outwardly resemble ordinary lilac foliage. When blooming, they have a purple hue, which gradually changes to a dark green. In the fall, the foliage becomes orange or burgundy.
How the Amur lilac blooms
Amur lilac produces large broad-melted inflorescences. They reach 25 cm in length and 20 cm in girth. Its flowers are small, 5 - 6 mm in diameter, with a strong aroma, white or cream color. Inflorescences bloom in late June - early July.
The flowering period of the culture is 2 - 3 weeks. The shrub produces buds at the age of 9 - 12 years.
Amur lilac is resistant to drought and winter frosts. It is well adapted to urban conditions, insensitive to dust and polluted air.
After flowering, the fruits ripen in the form of hard capsules with an elongated shape. Each of them contains nests with winged seeds. They are harvested in the fall for further reproduction. In nature, the shrub reproduces by self-seeding.
Amur lilac varieties
On the basis of the wild form, varieties were obtained that are suitable for planting in the garden. One of them is the Amur lilac Sudarushka, which is a powerful multi-stemmed shrub that forms a dense spreading crown. It can reach a height of 10 m. Its leaves are up to 11 cm long, dark green. The flowers are small, white in color, with a honey aroma, collected in large inflorescences up to 25 cm long. The flowering of the culture is abundant and long, at least 20 days.
How Amur lilacs reproduce
Wild lilacs are propagated by seeds. First, the planting material is stratified for 2 months at a temperature of 2 - 5 ° C. To grow Amur lilacs, containers are prepared from seeds, which are filled with fertile soil. Seedlings are obtained at home. When the seedlings grow up and get stronger, they are transferred to a permanent place.
Varietal varieties are propagated by cuttings. During the flowering period, shoots 15 - 20 cm long are cut off. They are half cleared of leaves, and an oblique cut is made in the lower part. The cuttings are rooted at a temperature of +25 ° C and an air humidity of more than 95%.
Planting and caring for Amur lilacs
The development and flowering of Amur lilac largely depends on compliance with the planting rules. First, a suitable place is chosen for the shrub. Then they prepare the pit and follow the sequence of work.
Recommended timing
The best time for planting Amur lilacs is from the second half of July to the first ten days of September. If the work is carried out in spring or autumn, then the seedling does not take root well. In this case, the shrub will not grow in the first year. For planting, choose a cloudy day or evening.
Site selection and soil preparation
Amur lilac prefers sunny places, but it can grow in partial shade. Wetlands and lowlands are not suitable for planting. Even a short stagnation of water in the soil leads to root rot.
For Amur lilac, moderately moist, drained soil is suitable. The best option is humus fertile soil, neutral or acidified. If the land on the site is heavy and dense, then a drainage layer must be provided at the bottom of the planting pit. For this purpose, small crushed stone or broken brick is used.
To increase the fertility of the soil, a substrate is prepared. Mix 15 kg of humus, 200 g of wood ash, 30 g of superphosphate. The components are thoroughly mixed. River sand is added to clayey soil, which is characterized by high density.
How to plant correctly
The order of planting Amur lilac:
- A pit is dug with a size of 0.5x0.5x0.5 m.On sandy and poor soils, its dimensions are increased to 1x1x1 m.
- A drainage layer 10 cm thick is poured at the bottom.
- Then the prepared substrate is moved into the pit.
- The soil is watered abundantly and left for 1 to 2 weeks to shrink.
- When the soil settles, fertile soil is poured into the pit to form a small hill.
- Examine the plant, cut too long roots. Dry and damaged areas are also removed.
- A seedling is placed on top, its roots are straightened and covered with soil.
- Amur lilacs are watered abundantly.
- The shoots of the seedling are shortened by 2 - 3 buds.
- In the near-trunk circle, a mulching layer is made of peat or humus with a thickness of 5 cm.
Growing Amur lilac
After planting Amur lilacs, they provide certain care. The plant is fed and watered. Pruning helps regulate the growth of the shrub and form the crown. In the fall, the plant is prepared for wintering.
Watering schedule
Amur lilac grows well on moderately moist soils. The shrub is watered as the topsoil dries up. To do this, use water that has settled and warmed up in barrels. It is brought in in the morning or evening, when there is no direct sunlight.
In summer, water is brought in only in severe drought. In order for the shrub to better absorb moisture and nutrients, the soil is loosened after watering. The procedure helps to saturate the soil with oxygen. Forks, rakes and other garden tools are suitable for loosening.
What can you feed
After planting Amur lilacs, only nitrogen fertilizers are applied for the first 2 - 3 years. During the season, the shrub is fed 2 - 3 times: when the buds wake up, at the beginning and during flowering. For processing, a solution is prepared, consisting of 20 g of urea per 10 liters of water. Lilacs are watered at the root. Nitrogenous substances contribute to the emergence of new shoots and leaves.
From the 4th year after planting lilacs, phosphorus and potassium preparations are added to the feeding scheme. In the fall, a solution is prepared consisting of 40 g of double superphosphate and 30 g of potassium nitrate. Fertilizers are buried in the trunk circle to a depth of 5 cm.
A universal fertilizer for Amur lilac is wood ash. It contains a complex of nutrients that ensure the development of the shrub. Ash is added when watering. For a day, 250 g of fertilizer is added to 10 liters of water and the agent is left to infuse. Then the Amur lilac is watered in the usual way.
Soil mulching
Mulching the soil prevents moisture evaporation and inhibits the growth of weeds. Natural mulch becomes a source of nutrients for the shrub. Peat, humus or dry leaves are poured into the trunk circle within a radius of 50 cm. The optimal mulch layer is 5 cm. During the season, this layer is periodically renewed.
Pruning rules
Pruning Amur lilacs helps to form a healthy crown. As a result, the shrub is less sick, has a compact size and blooms profusely. The first two years after disembarkation, it is not pruned. This is not necessary as the seedling grows slowly.
In the 3rd - 4th year, 5 to 10 strongest shoots are chosen from the plant. They are left, and the rest of the growth is cut off. Processing is carried out in early spring, before the beginning of the growing season. Dry, broken and frozen branches are removed annually.
To make bouquets, cut off up to 2/3 of the flowering shoots of the Amur lilac. To keep the branches in the water longer, it is recommended to prune them early in the morning. As a result, the shrub begins to form new shoots with flower buds. Sick and broken branches are removed if necessary in the summer.
Preparing a shrub for winter
Amur lilac tolerates even harsh winters. Young shrubs, which are not yet sufficiently strong, need shelter. In late autumn, before the soil freezes, the plants are watered abundantly. Wet soil becomes a frost protection.
Then the shrub is spud with earth, peat or humus 10 - 15 cm thick in the near-trunk circle. Young plantings are covered with spruce branches or agrofibre. The material is attached to a wooden or iron frame. In the spring, after the snow melts, the shelter is removed.
Application in landscape design
Amur lilac is an excellent option for decorating city parks, gardens and recreation areas. The plant has been used in culture since the end of the 19th century. When decorating the territory, the flowering period is taken into account, which falls on a fairly late date. The shrub is suitable for landscaping industrial areas, reservoirs, cities and towns.
Amur lilacs are used far beyond the Far East. The shrub tolerates the conditions of central Russia and colder regions well. The variety is made the central part of the composition or combined with other trees. In the first case, a shrub with white flowers will look spectacular against the background of a green lawn.
The Amur variety grows well and is suitable for creating a hedge. If plants of the same variety are planted, then 0.5 m is left between them.If different shrubs are used, then the optimal distance is up to 2 m.
Pests and diseases
Subject to agricultural technology, Amur lilac rarely suffers from diseases and pests. At high humidity, late blight or bacterial rot develops on the shrub. When diseases are detected, the affected shoots are cut off. The shrub is sprayed with Bordeaux liquid. The treatment is repeated after 10 days.
The shrub can be attacked by the lilac moth, hawk moth, and speckled moth. Insecticides Phthalofos or Chlorophos help against pests. The preparations are diluted with water to obtain a concentration of 0.1%. For prevention, they dig up the soil annually in late autumn, pruning is carried out on time, and the thickening of the bush is not allowed.
Conclusion
Amur lilac is one of the most unpretentious shrubs for a summer cottage. During the flowering period, the plant has a decorative appearance. During the growing season, it is watered and fed. The Amur variety adapts even to harsh conditions.Due to its decorative properties, the shrub fits well into landscape design. It is used for single plantings, hedges, or more complex compositions.
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