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The Hungarian lilac is a fragrant shrub that fascinates 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
The Hungarian lilac (Syringa josikaea) is the second most common shrub after the common lilac, which has a dense, leafy, egg-shaped crown. In height, an adult representative of the Hungarian lilac can grow up to 400 cm, the crown diameter of the Hungarian lilac reaches the same size with proper care and timely fertilizer.
The leaves of the Hungarian lilac are made in the form 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 rich dark green, with the onset of cold weather, the color changes to yellow. The most beautiful period is the flowering of an elegant shrub.
How the Hungarian lilac blooms
When the lilac flowers bloom, the shrub looks like a tree showered with flowers. The size of each flower is not more than 1 cm, the color is lilac, the inflorescence looks like a pyramidal model. The flowering time of the Hungarian lilac differs from the flowering period of the common lilac: the first blooms its buds 2-3 weeks later and pleases them for up to 25-30 days.
Forms and varieties of Hungarian lilac
Most of the lilac varieties were bred on the basis of an ordinary variety. Hungarian does not have a variety of varieties; only a few of its forms exist in horticultural culture.
- pale form – has a pale lilac color, which seems a little burnt out in the sun;
- red-flowered form – its color is bright purple, iridescent in a red hue;
- white-flowered – Hungarian white lilac;
- rosaceous.
How does the Hungarian lilac reproduce?
A distinctive feature of the Hungarian lilac is that it does not give 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 quickly take root.
Another method of reproduction is seed. A prerequisite is stratification. In its process, the winter period is simulated for 2 months, keeping the seed material in the refrigerator. Sowing seeds is carried out in autumn or spring. With careful care, germination reaches 70%, which is somewhat lower than when propagated by cuttings.
Planting and caring for the Hungarian lilac
Like any other tree, the 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 dates
Planting Hungarian lilac 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 shrubs 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 may rot or greatly slow down their growth.
Site selection and preparation of soil
The common Hungarian lilac 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.
The “Hungarian” is not demanding on the soil, 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 a site with fertile soil that is well drained. The composition of the soil can be either neutral or slightly acidic.
Under favorable conditions, the Hungarian lilac (in Latin Syringa josikaea) can live for at least 100 years. During its lifetime, it manages to bloom at least 90 times.
How to plant
In order for the lilac to take root well and be able to grow unhindered, it is necessary to take into account the basic rules of planting:
- the distance between seedlings should be, on average, 2,5 meters;
- landing pits should have sheer walls;
- a substrate must be added 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 planting hole.
- In 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 placed in the center of the created recess.
- Straighten all the roots.
- Sprinkle with the remaining substrate, tamp a little.
- Liberally pour.
Care and cultivation of the Hungarian lilac
Hungarian lilac is undemanding to care for. However, it is important to follow the basic rules of agricultural technology.
Watering Schedule
Immediately after planting, lilacs are shed 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 the shrub needs rare, because the plant receives sufficient moisture from the soil after precipitation. In the dry season, you can occasionally shed the bush, 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 be fed
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 a 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 rot and the plant will die.
In 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 rotted leaves 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 lilac
The leaves of the Hungarian lilac are very beautiful in themselves and form an elegant shrub shape. Therefore, the bush does not need additional manipulations. Pruning is carried out only if necessary to create a more elegant silhouette.
The process is quite simple, due to the ability of lilac branches to maintain a given “course” of growth. It is enough to cut branches at the required slope once in the spring, when active landscaping has not yet begun, and the shrub will keep its shape until the next season.
Preparing the 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 near-stem space with the selected material, the shelter layer should be within 10–15 cm. After the bush grows (after about 2–3 years), the lilac can not be prepared for winter.
Application in landscape design
The flowering of the Hungarian lilac is a real decoration of any site. Shrubs are planted along hedges, at the entrance to the garden, near the house and arbors. The versatility of the use of lilac in landscape design was also noted by professional designers who offer not only to plant a plant in any convenient area, but also to create real compositions with its help.
The Hungarian lilac can act as a hedge, acting as a real garden fence. In order to properly form a hedge, it is necessary to take into account not only the size of the seedling during planting, but also what volumes the adult plant will reach. Therefore, it is necessary to allocate a sufficient large area of uXNUMXbuXNUMXbland for shrubs in order to ultimately obtain the desired result.
Rules for organizing a fence:
- Plant seedlings in holes, the distance between which should be 1,5 meters.
- In order for the shrub to grow evenly, it should not be fertilized and cut for the first 3 years.
- The introduction of top dressing begins at the 4th year of life.
- Watering is not required: moisture will be enough from melting snow and rain.
- Pruning is carried out only to update bare bushes. But at least 10 strong shoots should always remain on the plant.
The standard form is also one of the options for planting lilacs. It is a little more complicated than organizing a hedge, but has its own aesthetic advantages.
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 a square measuring 20 by 20 centimeters is obtained. To the selected cutting, you need to graft a varietal lilac (Hungarian), and in the autumn, dig up the bush and plant it on the prepared site. All root growth must be removed.
Hungarian lilac can be planted on the site with other plants. The most favorable neighbors are: tree peony, viburnum, lupins, hydrangea, phlox, spruce and other coniferous representatives, perennial shrubs and evergreens.
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 during the flowering period and differ in the color of the flowers);
- in flowerbeds of various sizes;
- in arrays;
- in rabatkas;
- for vertical accentuation of beautifully flowering arrangements.
Pests and diseases of the Hungarian lilac
Despite its unpretentiousness in care, the Hungarian lilac still suffers from a number of pests and diseases. Being in the open ground, the plant is in wait for such enemies as ticks, moths and scale insects. All of them are capable of causing irreparable harm to the shrub, which can be fatal for it. Therefore, it is worthwhile to process lilacs 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, fungal phyllostictosis, viral mosaic and spotting can be distinguished. All these pathologies require immediate treatment with specialized drugs. Otherwise, other plants on the site may suffer.
Conclusion
Hungarian lilac does not require special care, is 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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