tay666
Full Member
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2011 8:49 pm
Location: North East Ohio

Looking for suggestions on varieties of lilacs

I'm planning on putting in several lilac bushes next year, and need some help deciding on what ones to get.

I'm going to be ripping out a row of old hedges in the back of my property and want to replace them with lilacs.
I have one lilac bush now, but it is a pain to maintain, so I want to do a little more research this time, before getting the wrong kind again.
The one I have now, was taken from a large wild patch of them about 10 years ago. It wants to grow rampant.
Lots of suckers, and gets way too tall. (over 20' before I cut it back last year)

So, I am looking for suggestions for types to look for.
I want something that will do well in my area.
Very NE corner of Ohio. About a mile from the lake shore.
I think I am in zone 6a.
Looking for types that are more bush-like, and not prone to so many suzkers. And has more foliage towards the bottom. What I have now is mostly stems to about 3'then it starts to leaf.
Preferably something that doesn't grow too tall. I don't mind doing some pruning, but I also don't want to have to do a ton of cutting every year.
Would like to get several varieties with different blooming times to extend the bloom season, and great fragrance you get from the blooms.
I'll be putting in a row about 30'long, so I have room for a few plants.

I don't plan on starting this project until late fall of this year, or next spring. Just getting the plans rolling in my head.
So would love to hear your suggestions and the reasoning behind them.

Green Mantis
Greener Thumb
Posts: 931
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 6:52 pm
Location: Alberta, Canada zone 1a

:) Well I guess you and I differ, lol!!! I love BIG lilac trees. The flowers are so beautiful and so fragrant. Plus they just keep producing, with all the bottom shoots.....But there are smaller ones out there, although how fragrant they are I don't know. I have one called Kim????something??? Can't remember the whole name and tag is gone. :oops: It is a Dwarf korean type though, if that helps?? But it starts later and is smaller. Actually I thought it had died over the winter, as I just put it in last fall. The other lilac beside it had lots of little leaves, so I was going to pull the tree out, but it didn't want to come out, was stuck right in there. So I just thought I would get somebody stronger to pull it out, luckily I forgot about it, and the leaves came out! :roll: Almost turned into a lilac killer...Opps!!!! Guess it didn't want to give up! Glad it didn't, because I'm hoping? it will flower this summer ( if we ever get a summer) :( Good Luck with your search. They are Soooo worth it! :)

tay666
Full Member
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2011 8:49 pm
Location: North East Ohio

If I had more room, I would love a huge lilac.
But I am in town, and my yard is only 120 x 150.
So I only have so much room to work with. And I have a variety of plants that I adore.

Hortman
Senior Member
Posts: 156
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2010 12:00 pm
Location: Chicago area

Hello again tay666. Ken here in Illinois. I've found some smaller lilacs for you.
What Green Mantis was talking about was probably Syringa pubescens patula ‘Miss Kim’.
It has dense, twiggy, rounded growth to 8-9 feet; purple buds, and ice-blue flowers.
Here are some others to consider:

S. X Laciniata and open plant to 5-8 feet tall and wide; lilac-colored flowers
S. meyeri ‘Palibin’ and dense, twiggy growth to 5 feet tall and wide; flowers faintly fragrant
purple fading to pink
S. X Persica (Persian Lilac) and loose form to 6 feet high and wide; pale violet flowers
S. villosa (Late Lilac) and stiff, erect bush 6-10 feet tall and wide; flowers pinkish-lilac to white

tay666
Full Member
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2011 8:49 pm
Location: North East Ohio

Thank you very much,
Most of those sound like the type of stuff I am looking for.
Except the one with little fragrance. Part of the joys of lilacs, is the wonderful smell when they are in bloom.



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