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When Meyer’s dwarf lilac first appeared on the market, it made a real revolution in people’s minds. After all, now it has become possible to grow lilacs in the tiniest plots and even in containers and balcony boxes. But Meyer’s lilac Palibin broke all records of popularity. After all, this is the tiniest representative of the already not the most gigantic species of Meyer’s lilac.
Variety description
Among all varieties of Meyer’s lilac, Palibin is distinguished by the smallest size. This baby usually reaches a height of no more than 60-80 cm. Although in some especially favorable conditions it can grow up to 100 cm. But its growth rate is also very slow. For a year, the length of the branches is good if it increases by 5-8 cm. But it is able to bloom at a fairly young age, being a very small bush, literally 20-30 cm in height.
Even without special pruning, the Mayer Palibin lilac variety forms an attractive rounded crown, which extends in breadth to a distance of up to 1,5 m. The branches have a brown color that brightens with time and becomes more gray. Small and shiny oval-heart-shaped leaves densely cover rather long branches. On the reverse side, they have a lighter color.
The inflorescences look like elongated cone-shaped columns, 8-10 cm long. The buds of the Meyer Palibin lilac have a rich dark purple hue, clearly visible in the photo, which changes to pink-lilac when it blooms.
But by the end of the flowering period, the color of the flowers turns slightly pale and turns into light purple. Palibin lilac flowers have an enchanting fragrance that attracts attention, which is difficult to pass by without noticing it.
Depending on how early or late the spring was, Mayer Palibin’s lilac bloom may come in late May or as early as June.
Plants of this variety have a very compact and shallow root system, so they can be easily grown in almost any container and even in a balcony box. But it should be understood that in winter, the soil in any container or box freezes much easier and faster than in the thickness of the earth. Therefore, containers are usually brought in for the winter period in a practically frost-free room or buried in the garden for the winter. Balcony boxes are usually not so easy to remove, so they need to be additionally insulated or provided on especially frosty days with an additional heating system for rooms where Palibin lilac plants will winter.
By the way, among the characteristics of this variety, good resistance to smoke and air pollution can be noted. This fact is an additional plus for growing Meyer Palibin lilacs in urban areas.
The frost resistance of lilac bushes of this variety is also noteworthy. They will survive frosts in winter up to -28-30 ° С. But due to the shallow root system, the soil surface around the bushes needs additional warming and maintaining a permanent snow cover in winter.
In general, unpretentiousness to a variety of conditions was one of the reasons for the special popularity of this variety of lilacs. Palibin can be called a heat-resistant variety. And he can even do without regular watering. Unpretentiousness to the soil helps to grow it almost anywhere on the site. True, like most lilacs, Palibin is not indifferent to sunlight.
This variety is also famous for its remontance. That is, lilac bushes are able to bloom again around August and September. Usually the flowers that form at this time are not so numerous. However, here much depends, first of all, on the timely removal of drying flowers in the spring flowering period.
Methods of reproduction
Meyer’s palibin lilac can be propagated using the following methods:
- seeds;
- cuttings;
- layering;
- root suckers;
- vaccinations.
The first and last methods are quite complicated and can be left to professionals. And for ordinary gardeners, the remaining three methods are quite suitable.
Meyer Palibin lilac cuttings are usually cut during the period coinciding with flowering. But at the same time, you should choose branches on which there are no buds or flower buds. The branches are cut into cuttings no more than 20-25 cm long. Each of them should have at least 2-3 buds. The lower cut is made obliquely, treated with a growth stimulator and stuck into a light moistened substrate to a depth of 2-3 cm. It may consist of sand or vermiculite. To preserve moisture from above, you can build a small makeshift greenhouse. Roots usually appear towards the end of summer and autumn. If possible, it is best to keep the rooted cuttings in a frost-free room until planting in a permanent place next season. Palibin lilac cuttings can bloom the next year, as in the photo.
You can leave rooted cuttings in the ground, warming them well for the winter.
For reproduction by layering, it is necessary to choose one of the lilac shoots closest to the ground. In the spring, it is pressed to the ground, sprinkled with earth and watered regularly throughout the summer. By autumn, roots appear at the point of contact with the ground. The plant can be separated from the mother bush and planted separately.
Propagation by root offspring is one of the easiest ways. True, on the condition that the lilac is initially own-rooted, and not grafted. Otherwise, when separating the root shoots, you can get not the desired variety, but the one on which the graft was made. By the way, Meyer’s lilac, unlike the common lilac, gives root growth with great difficulty. Therefore, high hopes for this method should not be placed.
Planting and caring for lilac Palibin
Due to the undemanding nature of plants, even a novice gardener can easily plant and care for Meyer Palibin’s lilacs.
When to plant
The ideal period for planting Meyer lilacs is the end of summer, August or September. In any case, it is necessary to wait for cool, and most importantly, cloudy weather. Or time the process to the evening.
Site selection and preparation of soil
As has been repeatedly mentioned, the Meyer Palibin lilac can survive in almost any place where it would not be planted. But after all, this plant is planted for the sake of abundant flowering, and it can only be expected in a sunny place. If you have to plant lilacs in a depression where water can stagnate, then when planting, it is necessary to provide a drainage layer of at least 10-15 cm.
The soil does not require special preparation. The only exceptions are completely depleted, very acidic or saline soils.
- In the first case, when planting, you need to add humus and a certain amount of long-lasting fertilizers.
- In the second case, add chalk or lime.
- In the latter version, a special mixture of humus, soddy soil and sand in equal proportions is prepared to fill the landing pit.
How to plant
If lilac seedlings with an open root system are used, then a day before planting they must be soaked in water, and then all roots should be examined. In the presence of diseased or damaged roots, they are cut to a healthy place. Too long roots are slightly shortened.
Meyer Palibin lilac seedlings with a closed root system do not require any additional processing. They are simply placed in a hole slightly larger than the volume of the roots and sprinkled with planting mixture. Then watering is carried out, the earth is compacted around the trunk and covered with mulch with a layer of 5 cm.
Care instructions
Caring for the Meyer Palibin lilac is not at all difficult.
Watering the culture is necessary only in the first months after planting, if the weather is dry, so that it takes root well. In the future, attention is paid to watering only during the flowering of lilacs. The rest of the time, she will cope with the help of natural moisture.
Regular fertilization will also not bring much benefit. They can only cause a lush growth of greenery to the detriment of flowering. You can feed the bushes every two years: in early spring and immediately after the end of spring flowering.
But the Palibin lilac plants will respond with great gratitude to the regular mulching of the land space around the bushes. This will protect them from the invasion of weeds, and retain moisture at the roots, and give extra nutrients.
As for pruning, it is imperative to remove wilted inflorescences. Only in this case, you can count on repeated abundant flowering. Sanitary pruning should also be regular, that is, the removal of thickening, broken and unsightly looking branches.
The lilac of Meyer Palibin on the stem looks very nice. In this case, the shape of the trunk must be regularly maintained. After all, fresh kidneys will constantly appear on the trunk, which will need to be removed. And in the upper part of the crown, its shape is maintained by regularly shortening the ends of the shoots in early spring.
The Meyer Palibin lilac winters very well and can freeze slightly only in snowless and especially frosty winters. But it quickly recovers.
Diseases and pests
Meyer’s Palibin lilac shows good resistance to diseases and pests. However, in the spring, before bud break, it can be treated prophylactically with copper-containing preparations.
When insect pests appear (lilac hawk moth, bud mites, moths), the bushes are sprayed with any suitable insecticide according to the instructions.
Lilac Palibin in landscape design
Professional designers are very fond of using Palibin lilac in creating a variety of compositions. This plant can be used in both borders and hedges. Moreover, to make a colorful accent or to get a spectacular flowering fence.
It will look good in single or combined groups, in flower beds, in rockeries.
Meyer’s Palibin lilac can be used to decorate a yard, terrace or veranda by planting it in separate containers. The use of this miniature flowering shrub to decorate balconies has also already been mentioned.
In cities, Palibin lilacs are often used for landscaping playgrounds, recreation areas, school gardens, and city courtyards.
It looks good against the background of conifers, as well as next to honeysuckle, barberry, hydrangea, tree peony.
Conclusion
Miniature and fragrant lilac Meyer Palibin will be a welcome guest on any site in any conditions. Rarely in any other plant you can find a combination of so many virtues at the same time.
Reviews
Reviews of Meyer Palibin’s lilacs are consistent with the popularity of this unpretentious variety.
