Lilacs: Growing Tips and Lore
If there is one thing we all look forward to, it’s lilacs blooming in the spring. It's hard to imagine, but there was once a negative stigma associated with these fragrant flowers. Read on!
If there is one thing many gardeners and flower pickers alike look forward to, it’s the lilacs blooming in the spring. Between the strong fragrance and the pretty plumes of white, pink, mauve, and purple blossoms, this shrub is irresistible. Gardeners throughout history felt the same way. Common lilacs appeared in Britain as early as the 15th Century, and they came to the Americas along with some of the first settlers.
Where Did We Get Lilacs?
Before gardeners brought them to Britain and the Americas, common lilacs were found in Eastern Europe, while other types originated in Iran.
A Greek Legend
The history of this shrub dates back so far that the ancient Greeks had a tale about it. In their legend, the god Pan fell hopelessly in love with a nymph named Syringa, but Syringa was terrified of the god and his newfound affection. Pan chased Syringa through a forest, where she turned herself into a lilac bush to hide from him.
Lilacs: Unlucky?
That isn’t the only lore surrounding this shrub. Throughout Europe, especially within the British Isles, the lilac was considered an unlucky flower. It was perfectly fine to grow them outdoors, but bringing the flowers inside was asking for disaster. Purple lilacs were supposed to be far unluckier than the white ones, to the point that some said bringing a bouquet of purple lilacs inside would “bring death to a healthy home.” So bad was the reputation of lilacs that old British lore claimed that any girl wearing a sprig of lilacs on her dress was destined to be single forever.
At one time, you could even give a bouquet of lilacs to your partner as a sign that you wanted to break up with him or her.
The Victorian era brought an end to the negative stigma surrounding lilacs, finally putting them in their rightful place as a favorite flower. Victorians developed what is known as the “Language of Flowers,” a system that gave flowers meanings that could be used symbolically or as a form of communication. Consequently, purple lilacs became known as the flowers of the first feelings of love, while white lilacs represented the innocence of youth.
Lilac’s Long History
Even in the United States, lilacs have a long history. Both Thomas Jefferson and George Washington grew these shrubs, and there are lilacs growing at New Hampshire’s Governor Wentworth Estate that are believed to have been planted in 1750. Early Americans often used lilacs as a substitute for aloe, a treatment for malaria and as a de-wormer.
Planting and Growing Lilacs
They are exceptionally sturdy, long lived and carefree
. Because they spread by root suckers, you can nearly always dig up new starts from old lilac bushes.
Growing Tips
- Choose a spot with full sun and good drainage. They don’t like wet feet.
- Make sure your planting area has lots of room because these shrubs can grow over 15 feet tall, with a footprint just as large in circumference.
- Lilacs need cold winters, which means that they normally only grow in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 9. In zones 8 and 9, you’ll have the best luck with specialty varieties that can tolerate warm winters. In warm climates, look for varieties including “Lavender Lady,” “Blue Skies,” “Angel White,” or “Miss Kim.”
- When it comes to maintaining lilacs, there are a few things to know. Some people never prune their lilacs and that is fine, but the individual trunks can become very large — easily the size of a small to medium tree. The only issue that arises from not pruning your bushes, aside from the large size, is that if two large branches grow too close together, they may strangle each other, causing a bit of die back. The bush will recover from this, but in the meantime, you’ll want to remove the dead trunks. If you want to keep the branches smaller, then you’ll need to periodically trim out the old growth. The problem is that lilacs only bloom on branches that are a year old or older, so if you want to prune and still have blooms, follow the 1/3 rule. That is, only cut out approximately 1/3 of the older branches each year so that the lilac stays healthy and keeps blooming.
Lilacs have been a popular ornamental shrub for centuries, and with good reason. Few other large shrubs will bloom as much, smell as nice, or be as easy to care for.
Before you plant, check out our Gardening by the Moon calendar!
Amber Kanuckel
Amber Kanuckel is a freelance writer from rural Ohio who loves all things outdoors. She specializes in home, garden, environmental, and green living topics.
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Amber Kanuckel#molongui-disabled-link
If the frost doesn’t get the buds, the small yellow finches do. It’s a bit frustrating.
Sharing lilacs with mother nature and her animals is very frustrating at times, but those years where you have a great yield – there is nothing better! Good luck this season! We’d love to see your lilacs in bloom when its time!
Will Lilacs grow in North Carolina?
Of course! We’re growing them in Maine. They’re just blooming now!
Hi Marlene –
It depends on your location in NC. They grow fine in cooler foothills and mountain climates, down in Piedmont and Triangle, Charlotte area you will need to look for heat tolerant varieties such as Japanese or Korean lilacs. These do not get as large as regular lilacs but they do have that wonderful fragrance.
How can you keep a bouquet of lilac cuttings fresh in the house since they are woody?
Hi Carma, remove all the leaves, and cut the stems at an angle to make sure they’ll get plenty of fresh water!
My mom told me when I planted a Lilac bush forty-four years ago that I would never live to see it bloom. So far she is right.
They may need more sun. I have one spot in my lawn where I planted some and they have never blossomed but all the others have. Try moving some of the new growth.
One of mine is 7 ft tall just bought a mini lialic bush planted right outside my living room window. Live in denver, very low maintenance
Growing up in Southwest Ohio I remember our yard having lilacs bushes one purple one white. when i came back from the Army In
68. my mother always loved them i then learned how easy it was to transplant there starts even now 60 odd yrs later i ride around my home town and see lilacs that are offsprings of our lilacs from ours
I’m in Houston, 2here can I find lilacs to plant plz?
Hi Robin, we’re not sure what greenhouses you have around where you are, but they would certainly be helpful, or do a search; you can purchase lilac bushes via the internet.
In the 50′ and 60′ S we had a very old lilac bush in our front yard. After it bloomed each spring my dad would get out the hedge trimmer and square it off to blend in with our hedge. It bloomed every year with more blooms than the year before.
Yeah your dad was smart because it says to trim them as soon as they’re done blooming
I planted a piece of purple lilac bush my mother-in-law gave me 30 yrs a go…..she has had it since 1950. They smell so good!
I had a purple flower bush & planted a white one near it. Eventually the one with purple flowers has turned to white flowers
Planted a lilac bush 3 years ago , about 4 feet tall , has plenty of leaves this spring already , have not seen any flowers on it yet ?is that normal
We have one that is 8ft tall and gets full sun and this is the first year it has blossomed It is now 5 years old.
Hi, would appreciate any advice that you can give me. We have a 25 foot lilac tree at the end of our garden it was there when we bought our house 30 years ago and we have had beautiful blooms and leaf coverage every single year, without any interventions from me. Just over a week ago I decided to c!ear all the other, very large, bushes and shrubs from the end of the garden and made a 4 ft square wooden planter to go around the base of the lilac tree. The intention was to extend the grassed area of the garden. It has taken me a full week to get all of the roots out from the bushes adjacent to the lilac tree but all of the leaves and blossom, it was in full bloom, have completely shriveled up and turned brown over the space of three days or so. My question is, have I killed the lilac tree completely, and need to chop it down, or is there a chance that it will recover. I feel quite sad at what I have done and any advise would be much appreciated, thank you and kind regards, Ken
Hi Ken, We can imagine that you must feel devastated. But before you do anything drastic, a few things could be at play here. You may have inadvertently damaged some lilac roots, and your lilac bush may be interpreting the clearing away of roots as “danger” – so it may be recovering. This sometimes happens with pruning, and it takes 2 years or more to see blooms again. Most gardeners prune within about three weeks of blooms. This is because lilac, like many other spring-flowering shrubs, forms its flower buds for next year a few weeks after blooming. So the jostling below may have sped the process. Also, be sure it has plenty of water. You mentioned “shriveling,” which could very well indicate it needs water, but be careful not to overwater. Next, have the soil tested to see if its too acidic, or lacking calcium. It’s a long shot, but the other shrubs nearby may have been equalizing the soil. You can get test kits at your local garden center. Lilac bushes do not do well in acidic soil, so if your soil test returns an acidic score, you must adjust its pH level with limestone. We also recommend calling in a professional at your local garden center who may have more insight. Good luck!
So I bought an old house a year ago and in my backyard I have this lilac bush/tree that is currently only producing little flowers at the top. It is also producing new growth at the bottom….everywhere! I would love for the lilac to spread and create like a natural bush line but I’m not sure if that’s good for the plant or not….I don’t believe it’s been grafted..I’m just not sure.if in should cut all of these little new shoots and replant or just let them do their thing?
Hi Katie, We recommend letting them do their thing, at least for a couple of seasons. That way you can see if it was a seasonal anomaly. It could also not be getting enough sunshine in the areas where there are no flowers. You might need to thin the area around the bush to make sure sunlight is getting through other foliage. But be careful about pruning. Lilacs do not need to be pruned, so if you prune it in order to rejuvenate the bush, it may take several years to recover and may not bloom during that time. And that may be what happened to those middle sections.
Lilacs are one the most easiest bushes to grow. It sounds like some of you might be over thinking it here. Blooms have to do with the cold and heat not how deep it is planted. My lilac is 25 yrs old.
If I whacked at it really good I won’t get many blooms for 2-yrs. I give it no fertilizer and water ONLY when we have hit 90 degrees or higher (I water it either in the morning or evening/dusk).
Depending on where you have PLACED your bush, however, will determine how it grows and blooms. Wind, heat, Wind, wild animals, wind, heat LOL A HOT wind can damage any tree or bush, heck garden if it doesn’t have the proper protection and lilacs are no different.
Just my two-cents 🙂
To: Kathryn Gropp { 05.20.16 at 9:47 am }
When I first moved into this home 6-yrs ago the Lilac bush next to the front door was sooo out of control (growing up onto the deck, tearing the shingles on top of my home, scratching the house up etc.) that I cut the bush down to 4 feet from 20′ and thinned out the base cleaning up the ground as I went along around it. Every 2-yrs I cut it back a couple of feet, but this year I sheared one side so I could use the ground to grow food (needed the sun to get to it) and it is doing just fine. She stands 15-20 feet tall and blooms like you wouldn’t believe 🙂
Lilacs are pretty indestructible (hard to kill once established). You can take your lilac and trim/cut it into ANY shape you wish. Just take your time doing it and watch what you are cutting. I usually start with the suckers and work my way out.
As for the Sucker, sure you can use them as ‘starters’. Two ways: 1. In late fall before dormancy cut it as close to the base as you can and stick into a jar of water for a week or two then put it in its ‘hole-home’ and in spring you should see a green leaf or two. Don’t forget to water it.
2. In Early Spring find the ‘off shoot’ you wish to keep, cut it as close to the base as you can and roll the bottom 2-3 inches in root powder, stick it in it’s ‘forever home’ hole and cross your fingers you’ll get green leafs by June or Sept. Might not until the following year even.
Transplanting lilacs is actually easy. They prefer to be transplanted when it is cooler or they are dormant. If they have started budding/flowering wait until the bush is finished completely, then cut at it.
I do the first one, it works best for me (zone 7 No. NV). Hopes this helps and happy Spring!
I live in Northern Arizona at about 7,000′ elevation. I have a huge lilac bush in the middle of my back yard and it is actually blooming this year. The third time in 15 years. I’m excited! Seems like we always get a late frost which kills the little buds. This year I have a different problem. The Elk have eaten off one whole side of my bush & all the new buds they could reach. They have never bothered it before, why this year? I’m thinking about putting in for an Elk tag!
My lilac bush is more like a tree now. It is as tall as the side of my house. Only blooms where I can barely reach it. I’ve trimmed it to mow under. I want it to bush out and be smaller, how much can I can it down without loosing it? And can I dig up little starts from it and transplant them?
How can I grow a lilac bush from cuttings?
How can I grow a lilac from cuttings?
As a child, my grandmother always spread a little ash for the woodburner around the lilac bushes behind our farmhouse. They were beautiful, at night we would lie in bed during the summer and smell the fragrance. Lilacs remind of my childhood home in Nebraska.
When is the best time to transplant lilacs? I have two small ones that need to be moved. We live in Western Washington, and they grow beautifully. My entire yard smelled of lilac! Thank you!
For those looking for plants best suites to your area, consult local AG office and go
To a high quality landscaping center. Ask them for recommendations. Do not go online, to discount markets or hardware store. What they get will simply be stock, not something necessarily good in your area. it’s not worth the $$ you think you are saving when the shrub or tree dies…which happened until I got smart…and darned tired of digging out dead junk, not to mention getting weedy stuff instead of what was marked on the packaging.
As for never blooming if I’m shade, mine bloom profusely and are in shade. I’d check soil and look into supplements for soil if you see no blooms. Again, consult local AG office or high quality landscaping company.
Didn’t have many blooms this year. We have had a cold spring. I love the smell of lilacs. Of course my allergies don’t care for them.
use epsom salt
Sandi,
You can always add nitrogen your soil.
The word “syringe” is thought (in medical and nursing history) to have originated through the ancient practice (still used a bit in modern veterinary medicine) of injecting fluids under the skin to rehydrate the patient. This occurred in the days before intravenous therapy was known and was, and still is, called hypodermaclysis. There were no needles such as we know today, so tips of lilac branches were cored and sharpened. Some are even naturally hollow, and the fluid was dripped through these hollowed, sharpened “needles’ placed into the skin. Hence syringe, from syringa. It’s worth a point of extra credit to any of my nursing students who remember it!
I’m from western New York and now live in central Florida and I sure do miss lilacs in the spring. Central Florida is probably zone 9. Our winters can have darn chilly spells, and while freezes and frosts are rare, they are not unheard of. Does anyone know where I can purchase the lilac specialty varieties that can tolerate warm climates (as mentioned in the article)?
Lilacs won’t bloom if they are under anything like a large tree or over hangings from a building.
You need to prune them once they finish blooming and the blooms are dying off.
All in all they are a pain.
when is the best time to prune the lilacs?
Yes as Trena said the best time for pruning lilac bushes is right after their flowering has ceased. This allows new shoots plenty of time to develop the next season of blooms. If you are pruning lilac trees or shrubs entirely to within inches of the ground, it is best to do so in early spring.
Edna,
Years ago I heard that if you plant your Lilac too deep, it will not bloom. Look to see if the root joint is covered. You may want to pull some soil away from the base of the Lilac
my lilac is 6 years old and never blossomed, why?
I had one like that too. Frustrating. Some say not enough sun, others say too much nitrogen. I also find the spring weather affects how many blooms. This year was a good year but they never last long enough. Maybe take your soil to an expert and have it tested for nitrogen?