Evening star., 1952-05-04
Lilac Time in Woshinqton
Annual Spring Display Here Proves
LiIocs Will Grow Well in the Area
By W. H. Younemon
Garden Editor

Many gardeners look forward
to lilac time each spring because
these showy spring bloomers have
been prominent in song and verse
Gardeners have been told that the
Washington area is the approxi'
mate Southern limit for their sue.
cessful culture.
No one would believe this horti.
cultural advice after noting the
numerous specimens in loca
gardens. It is not hard to grow
the lilac in this area if few
cultural practices are observed.
Lilacs may be planted in the
fall, but experienced gardener.
prefer early spring planting. Tht
dormant plants should be set out
as soon as the ground is workable
The lilacs do best in a soil thai
is nearly neutral-a PHI reading
of 6.5 or higher. The addition o1
ground limestone at the time o1
soil preparation is advisable. witt
annual applications as needed.
Lilacs are shallow-rooted plants
and should not be buried deeply
unless they. have been grated or
privet root stock. It is common
practice to set such plants deeply
enough to encourage the develop
ment of their own roots. This may
slow growth the first year or two
and 1t tends to increase the num-
ber of suckers that come up about
the crowns. However. a limited
number of suckers are desirable
Cultivate or Mulch.
Because lilacs are shallow
rooted plants they cannot take
competition from weeds and grass
successfully. Clean cultivation is
preferred, although a good mulch
is just as effective. Tree roots and
shade are detrimental to good
growth and the lilacs should be
located where these two factors
are not a problem.
Many kinds of liacs are grown
In the Washington area, although
the common" lilac (Syringa vul-
garis) is most widely known. 1t
is a strong grower, often attaining
a height of 10 to IL feet. The
biggest drawback to the common
takes seven years to bloom. but
this is an exaggeration, as they
frequently flower at three to five
years.
The Persian lilac, Syringa persi-
ca. is lower grower and flowers
within two or three years after
planting. Next to the common
lilac. the so-called French" va
rieties are most popular. No doubt
they are much shower than the
species, having larger bloom clus-
ters, many of them with double
f1orets.
The list of French is long and
not all of them are desirable in
this area. Since space in most
gardens is limited, the gardener
might limit the varieties to but
one or two. A good white, such as
Vestale, Jan Van Tol, Edith Cavell
or Ellen Willmott, and good blue,
such as President Grevy, President
Lincoln. Olivier de Series. Maui
rice Barres or Emile Gentil, will
suffice.
Other Species.
Besides the French varieties
there are several species that offer
variations in form and season of
bloom. The Chinese lilac is a
rounded shrub, usually covered
with small bloom clusters. The late
lilac, S. villosa. is one of the last
to bloom. In addition there are
many other species which are of
interest to the collector and
lobbyist.
Lilacs need an abundance OF
moisture at blooming time and
this may be the reason for small
foliage and scent bloom. Regular
feeding and watering is commonly
recommended but is likely to pro-
duce shrubs that are too large for
the space. The gardener might
however, see that there is an
abundance Of moisture both at
towering time and in the late
summer when the new flower buds
are forming.
The control of insects and
disease is seldom serious with the
lilac. Mildew commonly attacks
the foliage in the late summer
and fall, making it more or less
unsightly, but does little damage