Undersized (dwarf) lilac: varieties with photos and descriptions

Dwarf lilac, due to its size and decorative qualities, is loved by many gardeners. Almost no summer cottage is complete without this plant. Even a beginner can handle the care, and a variety of colors allows you to create interesting compositions.

General description of dwarf lilac

Low varieties of lilacs are perennial deciduous shrubs of the olive family. Their popularity is due to the ability to feel great in various climatic conditions.

The maximum height of dwarf lilac is 2 m, young branches are green with brown patches. After a year, the shoots become woody. The leaves can have a different shape – oval, egg, heart or be dissected. This is determined by the variety. The fruit of the dwarf lilac is a box, consisting of two oval valves, when it dries, it becomes a brown hue. The root system is branched, powerful. A young plant of low-growing varieties is gaining root strength within 4-7 years.

Dwarf lilac is shown in the photo:

How the dwarf lilac blooms

Lilacs are popular with gardeners largely due to their small and fragrant flowers, collected in spectacular brushes. Their color can be different – white, burgundy, pink, purple, blue. The flowers are small, have up to 5 petals, but terry forms have more of them. Several small inflorescences are collected on a cone-shaped long panicle. The flowering time of dwarf lilac is the end of April or May. The exact timing depends on the variety, the climate of the place of growth.

Advantages of growing

Summer residents love dwarf varieties for their undeniable advantages:

• good frost resistance – the shrub is able to withstand temperatures down to -35 ° C and does not need shelter;
• ease of care – it is enough to fertilize young plants every 3 years;
• drought resistance – withstands up to 7 days without an additional source of moisture;
• slow growth of the shrub – there is no need to thin out a too dense crown;
• foliage well absorbs harmful substances from the surrounding air.

With all the advantages, low-growing lilac varieties also have their drawbacks – after transplantation, the rooting process is difficult and long. The shrub requires constant care for 2 years. This shortcoming is covered by the obvious advantages of lilac, so its popularity among gardeners does not wane.

The best varieties of undersized lilacs

Dwarf lilac has many varieties, they differ in appearance, which allows you to create interesting compositions. Each gardener can choose a plant that suits their specific needs. Below are varieties of dwarf lilacs with photos and descriptions.

Meyer variety

The most famous undersized variety. The height of the bush is about 1,5 m, the shoots are brown-gray. The leaves are 5 cm long, elliptical in shape, and they have small “cilia” along the edges. Straight inflorescences reach 10 cm. The variety is unpretentious in care, which explains its fame. There are several varieties of this lilac:

• Meyer Polibin – leaves are entire or rarely pinnate, dark green in color, inflorescences are small conical panicles. Has a strong pleasant aroma. Lilac-pink flowers with 4 petals bloom in late spring or early summer. The branches are quite dense, the shrub grows slowly.

  The low-growing lilac of the Meyer Polibin variety is shown in the photo:

  

• Red Pixie – blooms from early spring to late June with pink flowers collected in dense panicles. The height of the dwarf bush rarely exceeds 1 m. Feels good on both moderately dry and moist soils.

  The low-growing lilac variety Red Pixie in the photo matches the description:

  

• Bloomerang Ash Purple flowers are a feature of this variety. The shrub grows fairly quickly. It is characterized by two waves of flowering – the first begins at the end of May, the second in July. The lilac of this dwarf variety retains its decorative appearance until frost, but late panicles are not so large.

  Lilac dwarf varieties Bloomerang Ash shown in the photo:

  

• Jose – the variety is demanding on watering and loves sunny places, but it tolerates cold well. Lilacs are easy to care for, and shaping pruning may sometimes be required.

  Low-growing lilac varieties with the name Jose in the photo:

  

Variety Madame Charles Suchet

The flowers are a beautiful blue hue, and thanks to the underside of the petals, painted in purple, the bush acquires brightness and variegation. Brushes of a wide pyramidal shape. The plant is low, the flowering period occurs at the end of spring and the beginning of summer. The lilac of this dwarf variety is undemanding to soils, but prefers light sandy soils. More abundant flowering can be achieved by planting a bush in a sunny place.

Variety Monj

French hybrid, grows up to 2 m. Flowers are rich purple in color, while not prone to fading in the sun. Brushes appear in mid-spring. This variety is often planted in cities for landscaping, also because of its long lifespan of 30 years. It is better if the soil has good drainage, periodically requires pruning.

Variety Kapitan Balte

Low-growing variety, grows up to 1,5 m. The flowers are lilac or pale pink with a bluish tint, they have a strong spicy aroma. The brushes themselves are large, rounded. A sprawling bush, abundantly strewn with flowers, will fit well into the design of a small area.

Schoolgirl

Bred in the USSR in 1956. Pyramidal inflorescences are painted lilac-blue. The bush looks like a neat compact ball. The leaves are dark green, flowering dates are medium – late spring or early summer.

How does the dwarf lilac reproduce

To preserve varietal characteristics, dwarf lilac is propagated vegetatively:

• cuttings;
• layering;
• graft.

This method is suitable for the propagation of non-varietal plants. Each type of this shrub is decorative to one degree or another, so this method can also be used.

Lilac seedlings are divided into two large groups:

1. Self-ownedobtained from cuttings, cuttings or seeds. They have a longer lifespan of up to 50 years, provide high-quality material for reproduction and do not form a large amount of root shoots.
2. vaccinated – arise as a result of grafting a variety on a wild stock.

To propagate dwarf lilac by layering, shoots of the proper root mother plant are used. Grafted specimens are not suitable for reproduction.

Rules of landing and care

It is best to purchase a seedling in large nurseries so that there is no doubt about its varietal affiliation. Dwarf lilac is planted in early spring before flowering or in autumn. The period from August to the end of September is preferable. In general, the plant is unpretentious to soils, but feels more comfortable on sandy ones. You also need to ensure good drainage. The place should be sunny and protected from drafts.

The landing algorithm is as follows:

1. The place is disinfected with a fungicide or potassium permanganate 3 days before the seedling is placed.
2. The size of the hole should be 2 times larger than the root of a young plant.
3. A drainage layer and sand are placed at the bottom.
4. Prepare a soil mixture with biofertilizers or a complex agent with nitrogen.
5. The hole is filled with warm water.
6. The seedling is dug in the evening, the soil is compacted and watered well.

Subject to all conditions, the bush will take root well, but it will take a sufficient long time for this.

Growing rules

When growing dwarf varieties, the following rules must be observed:

• Carry out timely pruning, most often it is sanitary or rejuvenating. Forming a bush, as a rule, is not required. The main thing is to remove faded brushes from the bush in time.
• With a frequency of once every 2-3 years, a pillow of nutrients is formed in the lilac – manure or humus is introduced. As soon as the snow melts, then organic fertilizers are applied. The height of such a pillow should not exceed 7 cm.
• Dwarf bushes are watered no more than 2 times a week, 15-20 liters each. At the end of summer, reduce to 2 times a month.
• Despite the fact that the frost resistance of the plant is quite high, for the first winter the bush is insulated with straw, spruce paws or sawdust.

Even a novice gardener can follow these recommendations.

Pests and diseases

Lilac diseases are divided into several groups:

1. Viral – mainly ring mottling, ring spotting, chlorotic spotting. Practically not treated, the plant is subject to destruction, and the place of disinfection. Lilac protection consists in observing preventive measures, which include protection from insect vectors and treatment with special means.

   

2. Fungal – ascochitosis, anthracosis, alternariosis, septoria, cercosporosis, brown spotting. On a diseased plant, spots of various sizes and colors appear, depending on the type of pathogen. Fungi develop at high temperatures over + 25 ° C and humidity. For prevention, lilacs are sprayed with preparations containing copper. To avoid disease, dry leaves and shoots must be removed in a timely manner.

   

3. Bacterial – these include wilting, bacterial rot. Occur in dense plantings. There are varieties with resistance to this group of diseases.

   

4. Mycoplasma – the most common problem is panicle. Lateral shoots grow, but internodes do not develop. This leads to the fact that the branches become like small bushes, the plant looks like a dwarf and gradually dies. Mycoplasmas lead to jaundice, rosette, chlorosis, small leaves. Preventive measures include the destruction of insects that can carry the disease and the disinfection of tools.

   

   Pests are also found on dwarf lilacs. The main ones are:

5. Acacia false shield – lives on thin shoots and leaves. The accumulation of eggs resembles heaps of white powder. The branches dry out, the flowers lose their decorative appearance, the resistance to cold decreases. A preventive measure is the removal of dry branches, shoots, thinning of the crown.

   

6. Apple comma-shaped scale insect – a dangerous pest that lives on the trunk and shoots. Lilacs affect females and their larvae. The insect sucks the juice, and the plant weakens.

   

7. The lilac moth is a brown butterfly about 1,5 cm in size. Their caterpillars live under the leaves, twisting and destroying them. Digging the soil under the bush by 30 cm will help get rid of the pest.

   

8. Rose leafhopper – often found on lilacs, larvae and adult insects drink juice from leaves and shoots. Special preparations will help against it.

   

9. Weevil – a beetle that gnaws leaves. It is not active during the day and is located under the bark, and at night, in the morning or in the evening, it begins to actively feed. Destroyed by special insect repellents.

   

The use of undersized lilacs in landscape design

Dwarf lilac is widespread in landscape design – it is good both in group and in solitary plantings. Sometimes several seedlings are placed in one hole so that they then grow together and form a powerful bush.

The Meyer variety is used for hedges because of its compactness. The plant is undemanding to soil fertility, takes root well and tolerates dense plantings. The dwarf variety goes well with low-growing coniferous trees.

Peonies are often planted with lilacs, the flowering period of which coincides with it. This composition is very colorful and fragrant. The latest fashion trend is to place dwarf lilacs on alpine slides. It is also common for connoisseurs to plant a bush with white flowers in a large flowerpot. In this way, lilacs can be protected from a number of diseases.

Conclusion

Dwarf lilac will blend well with other low growing trees and shrubs. Even in the smallest area for her there is a place. Varietal specimens amaze with their beauty and unique aroma, while wild lilac also looks very decorative.

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