Lilacs

When do Lilacs Bloom?

Common Lilac, or Syringa vulgaris, blooms in mid spring, usually in May. Reblooming Lilac shrubs, like the Bloomerang® series, bloom in spring and again in summer. Bloomerang Lilacs generally bloom in mid-May and again in July up until the first frost. Try the Bloomerang Dark Purple Lilac or the Bloomerang Dwarf Pink Lilac for multiple blooms.

How to Plant Lilacs

When planting Lilac bushes, dig a hole twice the width of the root ball of your plant and almost as deep as the root ball is tall. The root ball should be slightly higher than your soil line. Fill the hole with water, back fill the hole with soil, and tamp the soil down gently with your hands to remove air pockets. Apply 1 to 2 inches of mulch around your Lilac plant and water again until the water begins to pool.

How to Care for Lilacs

Lilac plants enjoy full sun and are adaptable to a variety of well-drained soils. Water daily for the first week and about twice weekly for the first 2 to 3 months until your bush is established. Lilacs are drought tolerant once the roots are established. Water deeply whenever conditions are hot and dry for the best growth and blooming. Avoid over watering these plants or planting in wet soil. Fertilize with a slow release fertilizer in spring.

When to Prune Lilacs

Common Lilacs and Miss Kim Lilacs bloom on old wood and should be pruned right after flowering. Bloomerang Lilacs flower on new and old wood so you have more flexibility in your timing. Deadheading old blooms does encourage faster and more plentiful re-blooming, but isn’t necessary if you want to avoid the task. Prune back dead or broken branches when you notice them.

How to Prune Lilacs

Pruning Lilacs isn’t necessary, but if you notice your bush isn’t flowering like it use to, a prune up may be just what your plant needs. Remove the oldest canes down to the ground. Prune off suckers completely and weak branches back to a stronger branch. Avoid pruning off more than ⅓ of your Lilac bush in a single year to maintain a nice bloom season. For severely overgrown bushes, your plant can be pruned back severely to about 6 inches tall or can be pruned back by ⅓ (oldest canes to the ground) yearly for about 3 years or until all old wood is removed.

Where to Buy Lilacs

For the best selection and quality, buy Lilac bushes online at PlantingTree. We ship them directly to your door from our North Carolina nursery. PlantingTree is a family owned online garden center that offers healthy, high quality plants for sale online. Scroll up to view our in stock inventory of Lilacs for sale.

Bloomerang® Dark Purple Reblooming Lilac

This repeat blooming Lilac is a sight to behold when it blooms in spring, then again in summer. Its delicate, light purple, fragrant flowers pop against its dense green foliage. A great way to add scent and beauty to your landscape, the bloomerang is a great shrub for any yard.

Bloomerang® Pink Perfume Reblooming Lilac

This disease resistant dwarf Lilac is loaded with huge PINK, fragrant bloom clusters that bloom twice in one year. The Pink Perfume is a stunning and truly unique addition to your landscape.

Common Lilac

The Common Lilac is widely known for its beautiful and fragrant purple flowers in spring. The lush green leaves create a lovely backdrop for the prized, fragrant flowers. This flowering shrub grows to be quite large at maturity. Prepare for a 12 feet tall and 8 feet wide beauty!

Miss Kim Lilac

An explosion of heavenly scented purple blue blooms smother the gorgeous Miss Kim Lilac in spring. The green foliage is dense and attractive. Miss Kim adds phenomenal color, texture, and interest to any landscape. This flowering plant is 5 to 8 feet tall and about 6 feet wide at maturity.