Content
Hungarian lilac is a fragrant shrub that captivates with its excellent and abundant flowering. Lilac is used in both rural and urban plantings, as it is characterized by unpretentiousness and a long flowering period.
General description of the variety
Hungarian lilac (Syringa josikaea) is the second most common shrub after the usual lilac, which has a dense deciduous crown that forms an egg shape. In height, an adult representative of the Hungarian lilac can grow up to 400 cm, the diameter of the crown of the Hungarian lilac reaches the same size with proper care and timely fertilization.
Hungarian lilac leaves are made in the shape of an ellipse, their length varies from 6 to 12 cm. From the end of autumn and throughout the summer, the foliage is painted in a rich dark green color, with the onset of cold weather the color changes to yellow. The most beautiful period is the flowering of an elegant bush.
How the Hungarian lilac blooms
When lilac flowers bloom, the shrub looks like a tree showered with flowers. The size of each flower is no more than 1 cm, the color is lilac, the inflorescence looks like a pyramidal model. The flowering time of Hungarian lilacs differs from the flowering period of ordinary lilacs: the first one opens its buds 2 - 3 weeks later and pleases them up to 25 - 30 days.
Forms and varieties of Hungarian lilac
Most of the lilac varieties were bred from the common variety. Hungarian does not have a variety of varieties; in horticultural culture, there are only a few of its forms.
- pale form - has a pale lilac color, which seems a little burnt out in the sun;
- red-flowered form - its color is bright purple, shimmering in a red hue;
- white-flowered - Hungarian white lilac;
- rosaceous.
How Hungarian lilacs reproduce
A distinctive feature of the Hungarian lilac is that it does not give birth to offspring. In this regard, there are some difficulties with the reproduction of shrubs.
The main method is cuttings. As a material for propagation, not only green twigs are suitable, but also lignified ones. If you approach reproduction with all responsibility, then the seedlings take root quickly.
Another breeding method is seed. A prerequisite is stratification. In its process, simulate the winter period for 2 months, keeping the seed in the refrigerator. Sowing of seeds is carried out in autumn or spring. With careful care, the germination rate reaches 70%, which is slightly lower than when propagated by cuttings.
Planting and caring for Hungarian lilacs
Like any other tree, Hungarian lilac can only grow with proper care. To create favorable growth conditions, it is necessary to take into account all factors - planting rules, soil preparation, etc.
Recommended timing
Planting Hungarian lilacs can be done both in spring and in autumn. If you plant seedlings in the period from mid-July to the end of August, then you can expect an active growth of the shrub in the very first season.
It is not worth planting a crop in early spring and autumn, because at this time the soil contains a lot of moisture, which has a detrimental effect on the condition of the plant. Young roots can rot or severely slow down their growth.
Site selection and soil preparation
Lilac common Hungarian loves sunlight. Therefore, when choosing a landing site, this factor should be taken into account. The site for planting seedlings should be well lit, but closed from winds and drafts, which have a detrimental effect on the shrub.
To the soil "Hungarian" is not demanding, but it is not worth planting it in swampy or clay substrates. The roots of the shrub quickly rot from excess moisture, which leads to their death. It is best to choose an area with fertile soil that is well-drained. The composition of the soil can be either neutral or slightly acidic.
Under favorable conditions, Hungarian lilac (in Latin Syringa josikaea) can live for at least 100 years. During her lifetime, she manages to bloom at least 90 times.
How to plant correctly
In order for the lilac to take root well and can grow unhindered, it is necessary to take into account the basic planting rules:
- the distance between seedlings should be, on average, 2.5 meters;
- landing pits should have sheer walls;
- it is necessary to add a substrate to each well, which contains components such as compost, humus, superphosphate (if necessary, additional acidification of the soil) and wood ash.
Procedure:
- The substrate (its components) must be thoroughly mixed and a small part poured into the hole for planting.
- For seedlings, the crown should be shortened: depending on the height of the planting material, up to 3 buds are removed.
- If the roots of the seedling are too long, they can also be trimmed a little. Ideally, the length of the roots should be no more than 30 cm.
- The seedling must be positioned in the center of the created depression.
- Spread out all the roots.
- Sprinkle with the remaining substrate, tamp a little.
- Water abundantly.
Care and cultivation of Hungarian lilacs
Hungarian lilacs are undemanding to care for. However, it is important to follow the basic rules of agricultural technology.
Watering schedule
Immediately after planting, lilacs are shed with 20 liters of water. After 1 - 2 weeks (when planted in the middle of summer), the bush is again shed with the same amount of water. After rooting, watering is rarely needed for the shrub, since the plant receives moisture in sufficient quantities from the soil after precipitation. In a dry season, you can occasionally spill a shrub, preventing stagnation of water in the root system.
After each watering, it is necessary to loosen the soil near the roots so that they can breathe freely.
What can you feed
The first two years after planting, lilac needs only one substance - nitrogen. Therefore, the introduction of ammonium nitrate or urea is recommended. After rooting, the bushes are fed with manure solution (5 parts of water and 1 part of manure). The composition cannot be poured directly under the trunk, it is better to distribute it within a radius of half a meter from the bush. Otherwise, the roots will start to rot and the plant will die.
In the autumn, the lilac shrub needs phosphorus and potash fertilizers. Therefore, it is recommended to fertilize the plant with wood ash diluted in water (400 g per 15 l), potassium nitrate or superphosphates.
Soil mulching
Soil mulching is carried out immediately after planting the seedling. To do this, you can use decayed foliage or manure. First, a layer of mulch up to 7 cm is laid, after the first watering, the mulch is replenished with another 2 - 3 cm layer.
Pruning Hungarian lilacs
The leaves of the Hungarian lilac are very beautiful in themselves and form a graceful shrub shape. Therefore, the bush does not need additional manipulations. Trimming is carried out only when it is necessary to create a more elegant silhouette.
The process is quite simple, due to the ability of the lilac twigs to maintain a given "course" of growth. It is enough to cut the branches at the required slope once in the spring, when active gardening has not yet begun, and the shrub will hold its shape until the next season.
Preparing a shrub for winter
Despite their unpretentiousness, young shrubs still need to organize a winter shelter for the root system. To do this, use dry foliage or peat. With the onset of the first cold weather, it is necessary to fill the space near the trunk with the selected material, the shelter layer should be within 10-15 cm. After the bush grows (after about 2 to 3 years), the lilacs need not be prepared for winter.
Application in landscape design
The flowering of Hungarian lilacs is a real decoration of any site. Shrubs are planted along hedges, at the entrance to the garden, near the house and gazebos. The versatility of using lilacs in landscape design was also noted by professional designers, who suggest not only planting a plant in any convenient area, but also creating real compositions with its help.
Hungarian lilac can act as a hedge, acting as a real garden fence. To properly form a hedge, you need to take into account not only the size of the seedling during planting, but also how much the adult plant will reach. Therefore, it is necessary to allocate a large enough area of land for shrubs in order to ultimately get the desired result.
Fence organization rules:
- Plant the seedlings in holes, the distance between which should be 1.5 meters.
- In order for the shrub to grow evenly, it is not necessary to fertilize and prune it for the first 3 years.
- The introduction of top dressing begins at the 4th year of life.
- Watering is not required: there will be enough moisture from melting snow and rains.
- Pruning is carried out only to renew the bare bushes. But there should always be at least 10 strong shoots per plant.
The stamp form is also one of the options for planting lilacs. It is a little more complex than a hedge, but has its own aesthetic benefits.
To create a decorative bole, you need to take an ungrafted lilac. It is necessary to choose one suitable shoot, which has a height of at least 1 meter (the procedure is carried out in the spring). The roots of the plant should be cut in such a way that you get a square measuring 20 by 20 centimeters. A varietal lilac (Hungarian) should be grafted to the selected cuttings, and in the autumn period the bush should be dug up and planted on the prepared site. All root growth must be removed.
Hungarian lilacs can be planted in areas with other plants. The most favorable neighbors are: tree peony, viburnum, lupins, hydrangea, phlox, spruce and other conifers, perennial shrubs and evergreens.
The culture can be planted:
- in one group with shrubs;
- in sirengaria (when a planting is organized, consisting of varietal and species lilacs, which replace each other with a flowering period and differ in color of flowers);
- in flower beds of various sizes;
- in arrays;
- in discounts;
- for vertical accentuation of beautifully flowering compositions.
Pests and diseases of the Hungarian lilac
Despite its unpretentious care, Hungarian lilac still suffers from a number of pests and diseases. Being in the open ground, the plant is trapped by such enemies as ticks, speckled moth and scale insect. All of them are capable of causing irreparable harm to the shrub, which can be fatal for it. Therefore, it is worth treating the lilac in a timely manner with special preparations purchased in the store. If the pests have already spoiled parts of the plant, then the affected branches and foliage must be cut and burned.
Among the diseases are fungal phyllostictosis, viral mosaic and spotting. All these pathologies require immediate treatment with specialized drugs. Otherwise, other plants on the site may be affected.
Conclusion
Hungarian lilacs do not require much maintenance, are a wonderful decoration for any site, and can also be used as a hedge. In order for the shrub to please with its flowering, you just need to make some efforts and provide it with comfortable growth conditions.
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