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my lilacs (pics)

15 years ago

Hi folks, I planted 6 lilacs last year. The nursery told us that it is Royalty Lilac and that the flowers are purplish in color. However, the flowers I am seeing is color white. I actually also love white but just wondering why I can't smell the fragrant scent. I even put my nose half an inch close to the flowers. I didn't smell anything. Is there something wrong with my lilac?

Other information for my lilac is that it's in full sun maybe 10+ hours of sun. I let nature water them.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Here are some pictures I took this morning around 9am.

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Comments (6)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
15 years ago
this is current??

my lilacs bloomed out in z5 ann arbor area.. almost a month ago ...

recent transplants do weird things.. but changing flower color is not one of them ... but cultural problems ... can affect flower production ....

give me some facts about why your lilacs are a month late .. and maybe we can take it from there...

ken
v1rt
Original Author
15 years ago
yes, it's current. I took the pictures yesterday morning.

About the facts, I have no idea. I just bought them from a nursery last year. I don't apply chemical fertilizers and not even to my lawn. I have always applied organic but not directly on the trees. They get some when I apply it on my lawn since I used broadcast spreader.

I noticed that too that the bloom was too late. My friend's lilac bloomed last month with a color purplish flower. Is mine really lilac based from the picture? Maybe, I got tricked by the nursery.
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you can tell it is in too much shade... from the tree casting the shadow .. and by the fact that it is lusher way up .. as compared to below .... hit the link.. and review some of those articles on RENOVATING A LILAC ... and then.. if you have more specific questions.. feel free to come back.. and if you do.. have a better picture of the entire ground and the first 3 feet of the bush ... and we might help you select which to remove in toto .. but that will not fix the shade problem ... how many hours of full sunlight will it get when reduced in size???? this is very common.. where trees and shrubs.. 20. 30.. years ago.. were planted and co-existed nicely ... and then as the tree takes over and gives its wonderful shade .... the shrubs start to decline ... ken Here is a link that might be useful: link
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Could the answer simply be that its late in the season and its been exceptionally warm and dry? There isn't anything about the plant that would make me nervous.
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I always add a layer of compost on the top of the soil when I put in a new tree or shrub, water that in and then I add a layer of straw mulch. I think it gives the plant a necessary boost after being transplanted. My lilacs do very well in somewhat dry conditions so I hardly ever water unless there is a drought situation. Stop watering for a while and see what happens. It will probably start to perk up. Mine are doing very well so I must be doing something right. One more thought. When you planted, did you tease the roots apart? If you don't then the roots keep circling like they do in the pot. Teasing them apart will encourage the roots to spread. Marg
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All of the zucchinis and all of the melons are dead. And my volunteer All Blue potato looks done for, too. I sprayed the pyrethrin, but either it was too late, or it didn't phase the bugs. Anyone see Starship Troopers? Or read the book? Was Heinlein a gardener? Maybe this is where he got the idea. The three remaining brassica in my raised bed are hanging in there. And I haven't seen any more leafminer damage. The potatoes are doing fairly well, except for one, a Carola. It sprouted, poked above the soil, then dried up and died, even though I took pains to keep the bed watered. I doubt if it'll come back. I bought a new hose, and it's a dang site better than carting a watering can all over the yard. Especially since, on my last attempt to drag home soil from Home Depot, I threw out my right elbow, and now it's painful to lift things. I harvested all of the fall-planted garlic. I guess they're curing in my dining room, which smells of eau de allium. My vacation's basically over, so I'll have to wait until this next weekend to do anything with them. I put the last of the tomatoes, a San Marzano, in a container outside. I buried it deep, about 70% of it underground. I also put some purple basil with it. I took the peat pots off of both of them, so we'll see if that makes a difference. None of my sunflowers are coming up. I planted four more seeds outside today. I told myself that when I got done with the yard and the garden, I'd start a thorough cleaning of the house. When that started looking ship shape, I'd go out shopping and maybe to a movie. I never quite got done with the yard. And I've got, um, 15 minutes left of my vacation? Sigh. Oh, well.
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v1rt
Original Author
15 years ago
Is it true that Lilacs must be put in shady area? I found that information from here, http://www.ehow.com/how_2187859_grow-lilacs-deep-south.html

My lilac gets sunlight starting 8am and stops getting sunlight around 5:30pm. Is this a problem?
giantslug
15 years ago
The Lilac in your photos is a Japanese Tree Lilac (Syringa reticulata). They normally bloom much later than regular lilacs. Mine hasn't even bloomed yet.
There is nothing strange happening to your lilac, it's just a mislabelled plant.
Dibbit
15 years ago
However, since the Japanese Tree Lilacs will grow bigger than the S. vulgaris hybrids you thought you were getting, you might want to rethink where they are. From the photos, it looks as though they would be good trees for the location. I am not sure, but they might be a more expensive plant than what you thought you were getting, so if you can live with them, and handle the extra height, you might have the better end of the deal.

If you REALLY don't want them - more height, different plant than you contracted for, lack of fragrance, different time of bloom, etc., then contact the Nursery and ask them to replace them. They may not be willing to, who knows, but you should get SOME redress, if only a steep discount on your next major purchases.
v1rt
Original Author
15 years ago
the nursery is gone, closed business. I'm worried about the height although I don't care about it. I really like it tall. The distance of each are 6' apart. I don't know if it's enough. About the bloom time, it's perfect too because it's early summer and it's blooming. My other shrubs are done blooming. About the purchase, I bought them each for $14 at 5' tall. I was just wondering why it doesn't give out much fragance and the change of color as well. But as mentioned, it was ID'd wrong by the nursery.

I have another question. Why are my lilacs doesn't have enough leaves? I remember seeing one branch, no leaves. What is the proper way of caring for the lilacs?

Thanks for ID'ing my lilac. Now I know what they are. :)

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