How to Grow Lilacs, its easier than you think!

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How to Grow Lilacs, it is easier than you think. Lilacs are an easy shrub that rewards you with sweet scented blooms every Spring. 

Let’s find out how to grow lilacs or lilac bushes, as some prefer to call them. It really is easy.

Every Spring our neighborhood is perfumed by the numerous lilac shrubs. They were planted by the lumber mill workers and their wives back in the 1940’s.

This neighborhood is the land that the mill owners provided for the mill workers to build their homes on.  It is one of the oldest neighborhoods on this mountain and it has the vintage plants to prove it. 

Today I am sharing about lilac bushes and what you need to know so you can grow Lilacs successfully too.

In other posts I have shared how to Propagate Lilacs from Suckers and  Rooting Lilacs from cuttings. Which might come in handy if you want to start your own that way. 

Also I have an entire post dedicated to Why Your Lilacs Won’t Bloom!

Lilacs, how to grow lilacs, easy tips and tricks you can use for beautiful blooms

Why Grow Lilacs

Spring just would not be Spring in our neck of the woods without the sweet scent of Lilacs wafting around the neighborhood. Scent is an added element to our gardens that bring us such sweet delight.  Lilacs thrive on neglect and provide such a great way to welcome the coming of Summer.

Lilac Bush, How to Grow Lilacs

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Lilacs are also wonderful for attracting pollinators and feeding them in the Spring.

Most of the Lilacs in the photos I share were planted back in the 40’s when this neighborhood was established and they have thrived.  The variety of colors is wonderful along with their being both single and double (also named French Lilacs) type.

Examples of Single & double Lilac bushes

This photo below is an example of a Single Lilac flower (you can see the individual flowers clearly).

Lavender lilac close up, How to Grow Lilacs

Next is an example of a Double or French (it is harder to tell the individual blossoms apart, they are so jammed together). It reminds me of the fur of a French Poodle.

French lilac, double lilac, how to grow lilacs

Neglect is Good when growing Lilacs

All of the Lilacs in my photos are planted in areas that get little or no supplemental watering in summer.  They live off of what they get through the winter and Spring.  We rarely get summer rains. Many of the lilacs are quite neglected as they are on properties that are not lived in.

I live in Zone 8, on the colder end.  In winter we can get down into the teens with plenty of rain and snow but on average low winter temperatures are in the low 30’s.  In the summertime, our temps range in the upper 80’s with a few 90’s tossed in here and there.  (the past two summers we have been in the 90’s for a good portion of the summer)

Keep in mind those are the averages, we do get weird years where we have some hotter days for longer periods of time.

White lilac, heirloom lilac, How to grow lilacs

How to extend Lilac Bloom time

The Lilacs in my neighborhood bloom within a week of each other and though the blooms on each bush only last a few weeks the succession lasts for about 5 weeks.  So if you wish to get a longer bloom time be sure to plant varieties that bloom in the early, mid, and late seasons.

lavender and purple lilacs growing together, How to grow Lilacs,

Types of Lilacs and Varieties

For healthy lilacs plant a variety suited to your Zone…these heirlooms (Syringa Vulgaris) grow best in Zones 3 – 8 (I have seen some old lilacs flourishing lower down the mountain so this is a bench mark and not a hard and fast rule)

If you live in a warmer zone that does not get the winter chill needed for the heirloom lilacs to bloom there are some newer Hybrids just for warmer zones.. here is a link to some.
Lavender lady
Blue Skies
Excel Lilac
Angel White

I have read these are good in Zone 9 but I have not tested them, I do believe they grow these in Descanso Gardens in Southern California but I have yet to verify by visiting.

Dwarf Lilacs for a Small Garden

There are hybrids bred for compactness for the smaller garden called Dwarf Lilacs. Some claim they are superior to the heirlooms as they don’t take as long to bloom and maintain a more tidy appearance in the garden, they even have cute names like Miss Kim, Tiny Dancer, and Tinkerbell Lilac.

 I have yet to try either so I cannot say whether they really are superior or not. I have a small garden and I just keep my lilacs in a half whiskey barrel to contain them.  

Patience

If you start your lilac from cuttings be aware that you won’t get blooms for about 3 years and they can take up to 5 years.  So buying a potted Lilac may be the ticket for you if you are impatient.

Where to plant lilacs

1. Choose a sunny spot (6 hours of sun) if you are in a very hot summer area they may like some afternoon shade

2. Well drained soil (lilacs do not like wet feet)

3. Neutral PH to slightly alkaline soil

4. Spread out the roots when planting your container grown lilac in the ground so dig your hole a lot larger than the diameter of the container it is in, some say to plant it deeper than it was in the container by 2 inches and some say level to the ground around it.  You decide on that one.

Lilac Bush Care

1. Do not over-fertilize.   Spread some compost around the base in late Winter/early Spring and you can add some after they have bloomed or later in summer. If you overfeed them you will get lots of green growth but no sweet-smelling flowers!  (we have snow on the ground in late winter/early spring so nothing is added to them at that time in our neighborhood)

2. The first year keep it watered through the summer, no more than an inch a week, to get your Lilac established then after that be light-handed on the water.

3. After your lilac has finished blooming trim or prune to shape it.  Don’t wait, if you prune off the new growth that comes soon after the bloom you will sacrifice next year’s flowers.  It is not necessary but to me, it is a good idea to prune back to eye level.  What is the point of blooms way over your head and these heirloom lilacs can easily get to 20 feet tall.

Pruning Lilacs

For a more detailed lesson on pruning lilacs you can find out here.

When pruning cut out any dead or weak canes, cut out 2/3rds of the suckers coming up at the base, leave 1/3 for future blooming stems.   You can actually dig them up and pot them to make more lilacs if you wish, they actually mature faster than taking cuttings and rooting them.  Some say to have only about 10 canes per bush for best health but not sure how correct that is.

Purple lilac flower, How to plant, grow lilacs

What if your Lilac refuses to bloom?

I have an entire post on 10 reasons why your lilac may not be blooming, go here to read about that.

This may sound strange and has no scientific backing but it has worked for so many on different flowering shrubs and fruit trees.  

Visiting a local nursery I spotted one of the workers whacking the potted lilacs with a rubber hose.  I had to ask what in the wide world he was doing and he explained he was promoting blooms.

As he was telling me this, I thought he was pulling my leg. But then he explained that beating the plant (not enough to break through the bark) makes it think it is dying, goes into survival mode, and in turn flowers.

On larger trees and shrubs you can use a wood stick or 2 x 4 lumber. So remember don’t hit hard enough to do damage to the trunk but enough to wake it up.  As he was explaining it to me I remembered my uncle had told me to do that to some tomato vines I have that were not producing though they had all the right conditions.  

Obviously, a tomato plant has a much more tender base. On the tomato, I used a bamboo cane to give it a good beating and it worked. From then on it bloomed, set fruit, and was productive.

If your Lilac is not blooming try and give it a good beating about the base and see what happens!  You might be pleasantly surprised.

purple lilac against blue sky, How to grow lilacs

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Here is to a sweet-smelling garden!

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Would you like to be more nature friendly in our garden promoting natural wildlife and the food chain so important to our pollinators?  You need to read this book…My favorite garden book of the moment: Natures Best Hope

More Lilac articles
All About Lilacs

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52 Comments

  1. Great article! I have loved lilacs all my life and was very happy when I bought my house and realized I had a lilac bush in my back yard. It was HUGE! I trimmed it WAY down and it bloomed the next spring! I was so happy I didn’t kill it! In 30 yrs I’ve only watered it in the really hot dry summers and trim it back every spring! A β€œbrown thumbs” dream!! πŸ™‚

  2. Sounds like a great idea, I may give it a try around some of mine, I can always use some onions.

  3. susan hancock says:

    I live in central Illinois and I learned from an old gardener that if you plant winter onions around the base of the shrubs the bushes would bloom. I had a old bush that would not bloom so I planted some onions around the base and the next year it bloomed like crazy and continued to do so for years. Plus I had fresh onions to eat.

  4. Sally Smith says:

    Hello Lovely Lilac Lady!

    I am a 60 yr old lady from Surrey in England. My Great Grandmama had the most beautiful house in Lymington and her pride and joy were her lilacs. I was lucky enough to have known and loved her and one of my earliest memories is the smell of lilacs and sweet williams. Oh, how she loved her scented flowers. Well here I am, still loving lilac and my Great Grandmama and I found myself driving past her old (and still beautiful) house. The the joy! The lilacs were still beautifully growing. Lymington isn’t far from me and when the flowers have finished their bloom, I intend to go back and take a few cuttings. Yes …. I will sneakily do my best Tom Cruise/ Mission Impossible impersonation … and mount a covert midnight raid on her garden …. knowing my lovely GGMM she would be positively urging me on (she was a suffragette after all) which was one of the reasons why she loved her lilacs – a combination of suffrage colours – purple/ white/ green. Long story short … read your lovely website and will gather all I need together for my clandestine endeavours. If interested I will send updates to you. Although, I hope, not news of my arrest …. I shall keep your name out of it I promise : ) Thank you for all your help in keeping her lilacs front and foremost in our family memories … and hearts.

    With Love,

    Sally Smith

  5. I have never grown them from seed so your guess is as good as mine. I have noted in general seed growing that you need to start feeding them a diluted balanced fertilizer not long after they have germinated. So I don’t know if you have tried that yet or not.

  6. Hi,
    I am starting Lilacs (common, per label) from seed. They all came up and are very healthy looking.
    My issue is that they have gotten between 1/2 and 1″ h. but seem to be remaining those sizes for quite some time (month- give or take). I have transplanted some and have left others in a grow tent under 18 hrs. of light. Those in the tent seem to grow a bit faster than the transplanted plants.
    Do they ever ‘take off’ with a huge growth spurt? I know I am in for the long haul but I move a lot and don’t want to buy a plant, only to leave it for someone else to enjoy.
    Do you have any suggestions? I am in Zone 9 with very hot, arid summers.
    Thanks so much!

  7. Tom Doyen says:

    If you dig them up from former plants and pot them how long should you wait to plant them and how far apart should they be when you put them in the ground.

  8. I live in zone 10a. My lilac never bloomed. I tried different things- but not waking, I’ll do that next season- or when it’s the best time- spring? is there any chance it will bloom or my zone will never support it? or maybe there is a special kind for me? I love lilac, grew up with it.

  9. Here the Lilacs thrive on neglect but these are the heirloom varieties that have been in the neighborhood for decades. You will not get blooms if you prune them this late in the season so I would not do that. Let the potted plants dry out between watering, not to where it wilts but do let it dry some. How often depends on the weather and temperatures. I could not tell from your comment if you have planted them in the ground yet, when you do put them where they will be in full sun and not get too much water. No one around here fertilizes the lilacs. Mine did not bloom this year because of a late heavy frost so the annual climate also can have an effect. So many factors can play a part that it is hard to pinpoint one defining reason. sorry I could not be more help.

  10. Marcy Taylor says:

    I bought 2 potted lilacs 3 years ago. I still do not have any blooms. I have tried the the lightly tapping the base of the plant so as not to damage it. But still nothing. I grew up with lilacs completely filling our backyard as a kid. Its my favorite flower. I am 64 now and have a large yard I would love to have a large lilac bush again. Any other ideas. My nephew waters it every couple of days should we cut back and let it go and just water it weekly. Its been really dry here lately.

  11. Such good advice and memories of dad rolling up a newspaper and beating the trees and bushes in early Spring. Thank you for a walk in your beautiful garden filled with good advice also

  12. The scent is so powerful when they are in bloom I wouldn’t doubt your smelling the fragrance in Vegas. πŸ™‚

  13. Thank you Mary. I do love my garden and though it is work it doesn’t feel like it. It brings me such peace and delight that it really is a pleasure to be out in my garden.

  14. Thanks to much for your help and I will take your advice. Yes Descanso gets the chill you need for lilacs.

  15. Pamela I have a brown thumb and cannot grow anything except Aloe Vera plants. But that certainly doesn’t stop me from admiring all of the work you gardeners do and create such a lovely environment.

  16. Saw this on bloggy fifty and pinning away on my garden boards, so pretty!
    Maria

  17. Simply beautiful. It is almost like I can smell the fragrance from here in Vegas.
    Thanks for all of your ideas. Happily pinned.

  18. I am sorry to hear that. I did update the post and added new links to some Lilacs that grow in warmer areas.

  19. Thank you for letting me know the link was broken. I have updated the post with the names and places to purchase the warmer winter Lilacs. There is no one website so I hunted down a few. If you want to see some Lilacs in Southern Calif visit the Descanso Gardens in March and April. Some Southern California areas are still too warm even for those lilacs so you really need to talk to a local nursery or someone that has gardened your area for a very long time to be sure.
    Hope this helps.
    Kind regards,
    Pamela G.

  20. Norma Rolader says:

    I love lilacs I have not been able to find any here in Georgia

  21. I tried to get to the link for warm weather lilacs but when doing so the page said”Not found” Could you let me know the warm weather lilacs website? I love the lovely smell and would like to try them in my warm So. Cal area.

  22. What beautiful plants! Not sure if lilacs would grow well in my hot area. I never heard of beating a plant to make it flower! I’m going to try that on some plants that take a while to produce blooms. Thank you for sharing!

  23. Welcome and I would be more than happy to provide any gardening coaching you may need.

  24. Well, I’m thinkin’ you are going to be my ‘go-to’ for gardening questions! (You and Kellie Wilkness!) Your instructions and tips are GREAT! May have to try some of those tiny hybrids at My Wee Abode, huh? πŸ˜‰

  25. Right after it is done blooming is the best time. You can do it later but you will be cutting off next seasons blooms.

  26. Alice Lapkovitch says:

    WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO PRUNE THE LILACS

  27. Hello, I recently purchased lilac Bulbs or roots from a local store. I am in a warm climate and haven’t been able to find any lilacs anywhere. it was a package of 2 and I planted them according to instructions and one seems to be doing pretty well, some leaves to show its alive. I know it may take a couple of years to see any blooms.

    The other appears to be dead, how long should I give it? Any help is appreciated.

    Thanks,
    Amy

  28. Lilacs are lovely and what a wonderful boyfriend. πŸ™‚

  29. Dudie Sipe says:

    Years ago, I mentioned to a boyfriend that I loved lilacs. One morning, I woke up to the smell of them. He had picked a ton of them, and had them in buckets EVERYWHERE in my apartment. Today, they are still my favorite flowers, and I have all colors EVERYWHERE in my garden. Thanks for all the great info, and for sharing!!!!!!

  30. I have several friends that live in Lakemont. It is a lovely neighborhood. I know what you mean, seed starting is the same. I never grow weary of watching something grow from an minuscule little dot into a gorgeous plant. πŸ™‚

  31. I have 3 Lilacs in containers and they seem to be doing just fine. I treat them like any other shrub in a container. They should be ready to bloom this coming season. They will finally be 3 years old.

  32. Yeah Arnold. We had a cabin in Lake Mont Pines for 14 years. Loved it.
    I now live in Danville and am getting into propagating. I find it very exciting to see those little things pop out of the soil. Love your Blog. Keep up the good and interesting work.

  33. Hi, looking for information to grow lilacs in a container, Thank You, waiting to hear!

  34. Hi, Can you grow Lilacs in a pot, like other tress and shrubs. If you can what are the recommendations for doing this. Thank You, Waiting to hear, Mary

  35. Yes, you can grow it in a half whiskey barrel. Just make sure it has holes in it for drainage. πŸ™‚

  36. I just bought a lilac. Can I put it in a pot? I have a half of whisky barrel I was hoping to use.

  37. I would make sure to cut out the dead limbs, make sure it is not in an area that water pools or gets marshy. Lilacs don’t like wet feet. Pruning out the dead or weak branches now will help it, but wait until after it blooms to shorten the others. Cut off any suckers that may be coming up out of the ground around the Lilac, they pull needed energy from the main canes or branches. Other than that I don’t know what to tell you. I hope this helps. Maybe talk to a local nursery, they may have a better idea of what could help as they are accustomed to your climate and potential problems with pests.

  38. Ersa Franklin says:

    When we moved a couple years ago there was a lilac tree or bush in the yard. It rarely had good blooms on it and this year is growing to be so spindley and has very little greenery to the tree itself. Can I prune it back now and make it shorter and make it look better and hopefully have more blooms eventually? Have no idea what kind it is at all. I love the smell of lilacs and want to keep this one. There is one in the neighbors yard across the fence but that one is not as tall as ours. But that bush is doing the same thing with very few blooms and a lot of dead limbs. Help if you can, please. Thanks.

  39. Great article. I LOVE Lilacs! I will be saving this for the next time I give them a try AND sharing this on Facebook on my Roseville page πŸ™‚

    Thanks

    Kaye

  40. Hi Jennifer. I tried responding sooner but for some reason it would not go through. If you have not pruned your Lilac in a long while it may be time, it sounds like it needs rejuvenation. Cut out stems from the center to let air and sunshine in. Remove 2/3rds of the suckers around the base, leaving 1/3 to grow into new stems to bloom later. (you can actually pot up the suckers for new shrubs if you like). Unless you want this to be a tree, cut back 1/3 of the stems to just above your height, 1/3 a couple feet lower and 1/3 even lower. This gives a well rounded shape with blooms on many levels. Some say that having 10 stems total is a good number but I can not attest to that myself. After such a dramatic pruning you most likely won’t see blooms next year but the year after you should be seeing a lot. Bone meal is a good fertilizer for Lilacs. It keeps the soil more alkaline which Lilacs prefer other than that most fertilizers will just get you lots of green growth and no blooms. I wish you many blooms and a sweet scented garden very soon. πŸ™‚

  41. I have a question on Lilac care. I bought a place 15 years ago that has a huge lilac in sun it was flowering just fine then 3-4 years ago it just stopped every year it gets big and green but never flowers i also noticed a dead spot on the back side? Bugs? or could it be from horses that are in the pasture behind the plant? any ideas? its to big to dig up and move if i could i would.

  42. Lilacs are such a great Spring welcome, the scent just is to die for. I need more. πŸ™‚

  43. One of my favorite flowers!!! Thanks for sharing these great tips! Found you linked up at Inspire Me Monday!

  44. I do love the welcome of Spring lilacs. I hope you can get some and enjoy the pleasure they bring to the garden. Wishing you garden success!

  45. It does take a bit of work but if it is what you really enjoy it is worth it. πŸ™‚

  46. Your lilacs are lovely! I am glad I stopped to check your post out from Metamorphosis Monday! I’ve been looking for varieties of lilacs that could live in a warmer zone! Pinned! Thank you for sharing!
    Christine

  47. I love lilacs! They are so pretty to look at. Unfortunately I wasn’t born with a green thumb so I can’t seem to keep anything alive.

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