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Lilac Catherine Havemeyer is a fragrant ornamental plant, bred in 1922 by a French breeder for landscaping squares and parks. The plant is unpretentious, not afraid of polluted air and grows on any soil. Subject to agrotechnical rules, a flowering shrub will become the pride of a summer cottage for a long time.
Description of lilac Katerina Havemeyer
Common lilac Katerina Havemeyer is a tall shrub, an adult specimen reaches up to 5 m. The shrub is unpretentious, frost-resistant, can grow both in the southern and northern regions. Varietal characteristics of lilac Katerina Havemeyer:
- the bush is voluminous and sprawling;
- erect shoots are covered with heart-shaped, dark olive leaves;
- pyramidal inflorescences, bright purple, reach 24 cm in height and 16 cm in diameter;
- terry flowers of the lilac variety Katerina Havemeyer with a diameter of up to 3 cm are collected in panicle inflorescences;
- flowering is abundant and long, the first flowers appear in mid-May and until early July cover the crown with a fragrant, beautifully flowering cap.
Methods of reproduction
Lilac varieties Katerina Havemeyer can be propagated by seed, cuttings and taps. Seed propagation is a long and difficult way, so it is not suitable for beginner flower growers.
Seeds
For propagation, seeds are harvested in the fall, after full maturation. The collected seed is dried until the valves are fully opened and stratified. To do this, lilac seeds are placed in moistened sand and cleaned in a cool room for 2 months.
In early April, the prepared seed is sown in nutrient soil, covered with glass and moved to the brightest place. After seed germination, the plant dives in separate containers. When warm days come, the rooted seedling is transplanted to the chosen place.
Cuttings
Cuttings are cut during flowering from a healthy, strong branch. The method of cutting lilac varieties Katerina Havemeyer:
- Cuttings are cut from annual shoots 15 cm long.
- The lower foliage is removed, the upper one is shortened by ½ length.
- The lower cut is made at an angle, the upper one is left even.
- The cuttings are lowered into the root formation stimulator and kept for about 18 hours.
- Planting material can be planted immediately on the prepared site or in a flower pot.
- A hole is made in the nutrient soil and the cuttings are set at an acute angle at a distance of 5 cm.
- Planting is shed and covered with polyethylene.
- For 1,5 months, the planting is moistened as the soil dries out and ventilated.
- After the appearance of new leaves, the shelter is removed.
- In the spring, a stronger plant is moved to a permanent place.
Root shoots
An easy and effective way to propagate lilac varieties Katerina Havemeyer. In autumn, the seedling is separated from the mother bush and planted in a prepared place. Planted lilacs are abundantly shed and tied to a support.
Branches
A simple way of reproduction, even an inexperienced grower can handle it. Reproduction technology by branches of lilac varieties Katerina Havemeyer:
- In the spring, before bud break, trenches 4 cm deep are made around a 10-year-old bush.
- The lower, one-year-old shoot is laid in a groove, leaving the top above the ground.
- The trench is covered with nutrient soil, abundantly shed and mulched.
- After the appearance of young shoots, hilling is carried out by ½ length.
- After 2 years, the rooted branch is dug up and moved to a prepared place.
Planting and care
Lilac flowering directly depends on a quality seedling. Planting material must be purchased at garden fairs or from trusted suppliers.
The seedling should be with foliage and well-developed roots. For better survival, you need to purchase 2-3 year old planting material, up to half a meter high. Such plants take root faster, and the root system is less injured.
When to plant
Lilac Katerina Havemeyer can be planted in spring and autumn. Spring planting is done after the soil warms up, before the start of sap flow. In autumn, lilacs are planted a month before the onset of cold weather. During this period, the plant will have time to take root and safely endure winter frosts.
Site selection and preparation of soil
Beautiful and long flowering can be achieved only if certain rules are observed:
- sunny place or partial shade;
- nutritious, drained soil with neutral acidity;
- area with deep groundwater.
How to plant
Before planting the lilac variety Katerina Havemeyer, it is necessary to prepare a seat. To do this, dig a hole 30×30 cm, cover the bottom with 15 cm of drainage (rubble, broken brick or pebbles). The excavated soil is mixed with sand, humus or rotted compost. Wood ash and superphosphate can be added to the soil. When planting 2 or more bushes, the distance between the holes should be 1,5-2 m, when creating a green fence, the distance between plantings is about 1 m.
If the acquired seedling has an open root system, it is soaked for an hour in warm water, after which the root system is carefully straightened and placed on a prepared mound. The plant is covered with nutrient soil, tamping each layer so that an air cushion does not form.
After planting, the plant is watered abundantly, and the soil is covered with straw, dry foliage, peat or rotted humus. Mulch will retain moisture, stop weeds from growing, and provide additional nutrition.
Care instructions
To achieve beautiful and long flowering, you must follow 5 rules for care. The rules that must be followed in order to grow an ornamental, flowering shrub.
Watering
Lilac Katerina Havemeyer is a drought-resistant variety, but with a lack of moisture, the plant will stop developing, flowering will not be lush and not long. Therefore, lilacs are plentifully irrigated during the period of active growth and at the time of flowering. In summer, during the period of seed ripening, watering is carried out only when the soil dries to a depth of 25-30 cm.
Additional fertilizing
Top dressing is applied 3 years after planting the lilac variety Katerina Havemeyer. The exception is infertile soil, and if the seedling is lagging behind in development. Fertilizers are applied 2 times a season. In the spring, 50-60 g of urea or ammonium nitrate are applied under each plant. In summer, during flowering, lilacs are fertilized with organic matter. Autumn top dressing is applied every 2-3 years, for this they use wood ash or a mineral fertilizer complex with a minimum nitrogen content.
Trimming
Formative pruning is carried out 2 years after planting the seedling. For lilac varieties Katerina Havemeyer, 3 types of pruning are used:
- Summary – stimulates flowering. So that the next year the bush is covered with a flower cap, all faded shoots are shortened, and dried flower stalks are removed in a timely manner.
- Rejuvenating – such pruning is necessary for old lilac bushes. To do this, thickening and old shoots are shortened under a stump for the appearance of young root shoots. Such rejuvenation is carried out in early spring before sap flow.
- Forming pruning – remove root shoots, dry and damaged shoots. Also, thanks to the forming pruning, you can give the lilac the appearance of a miniature tree. To do this, the main trunk is left, the side branches are removed, and the crown is formed in the form of a cloud.
Loosening
In order for the lilac Katerina Havemeyer to bloom beautifully and for a long time, it is necessary to regularly loosen the soil. Without loosening, an earthen crust will form, and the root system will not receive enough oxygen. Loosening is carried out several times per season, combined with weeding and watering. Since the root system of lilacs is located superficially, loosening is carried out to a depth of 4-7 cm.
Mulching
For better moisture retention, protection of the roots from overheating and preservation of soil quality, the near-trunk circle is mulched. Peat, straw, dry leaves or rotted compost are suitable as mulch. The layer of mulch should be about 7 cm to maintain the desired height, the mulch must be reapplied several times per season.
Diseases and pests
Lilac Katerina Havemeyer has a strong immunity to many diseases. But if the agrotechnical rules are not observed, such diseases and pests often appear on lilacs, such as:
- Mottling – the disease appears in the spring and can be recognized by the foliage. The leaf plate turns pale, covered with necrotic, annular spots. Without treatment, the foliage dries up and falls off.
- Mučnistaâ rosa – the disease affects a young and old plant. The foliage is covered with a white coating, which is easily removed with a finger.
To get rid of viral and fungal diseases, broad-spectrum fungicides are used. In order not to lose the lilac of the Katerina Havemeyer variety, it is necessary to observe preventive measures:
- acquire a healthy seedling;
- carry out timely weeding and loosening of the soil;
- remove dry, damaged branches;
- remove damaged foliage from the bush and burn.
To increase the resistance of the bush to diseases, it is necessary to carry out phosphorus-potassium top dressing in summer and autumn. It is also important to carry out foliar top dressing with Bordeaux mixture or copper sulphate.
Application in landscape design
Lilac Katerina Havemeyer has found wide application for landscaping a garden plot. The variety is valued for its beautiful double flowers, abundant and long flowering, unpretentiousness and pleasant aroma. Due to its resistance to polluted air, the variety is planted in parks and squares. On a personal plot of lilacs, hedges are made, used in single and group plantings. Lilac Katerina Havemeyer goes well with coniferous crops and ornamental shrubs, next to perennial and annual tall flowers.
Conclusion
Lilac Katerina Havemeyer is an ideal solution for decorating a summer cottage. It is unpretentious, blooms profusely and for a long time, ideal for single and group plantings. Purple, double flowers exude a strong aroma that spreads throughout the site. Subject to agrotechnical rules, lilac will please the eye for a long time.