When a plant has multiple merits , horticulturists have their propagating work foreshorten out for them to meet the demands of gardener who want more for their pace . With its butterfly and hummingbird ingathering and showy , fragrant bloom , the stand lilac ( Syringa spp . ) is such a plant . Although grafting lilac is a executable propagating method , it may not be the well choice for longsighted - term plant health .

Lilac Species and Hardiness

To do at its peak , lilac typically postulate to cool out . Low temperatures and some icy winter night enhance the blooms that industrial plant bear the next spring . calculate on the species and cultivar , most lilacs arise as perennials in U.S. Department of Agriculture works hardiness zones 4 through 7 , include Gallic lilac ( Syringa vulgaris ) , although some species such as former lilac ( Syringa oblata ) make it the cold temperature in USDA zona 3 . Some " low pall " cultivar , such as " Lavender Lady " and " Blue Boy , " extend lilac ’s hardiness range to the warm USDA geographical zone 8 because they do n’t want as much cold weather condition to flower well .

Grafting Goal

Plants are typically engraft to combine the best belongings of two or more plants , such as the top growth — called a scion — of a profuse flowering variety that ’s grafted onto the rootstalk — called the livestock or understock — of a hardier plant . Sometimes , plant of different genus and species can be transplant together , as long as they are members of the same industrial plant family . Regardless of the types of plants grafted or the type of grafts used , the destination is the same : Producing a plant that has increased vigor , disease resistance and improved flowering or fruiting capability .

Grafting Lilac

Lilac is a member of the Oleaceae plant family , so it can be successfully grafted onto the rhizome of some other phratry members , such as privet ( Ligustrum ovalifolium ) , a perennial in USDA zones 5 through 8 , and unripened ash ( Fraxinus pennsylvanica ) , a perennial in USDA zone 3 through 9 . But grafting is not a suitable recollective - term propagating solvent for lilac . It is a hard procedure if you ’re not a trained expert and the graft union has a gamey rate of nonstarter , which results in a dead industrial plant .

Asking Questions

Ungrafted lilacs that grow on their own roots are unspoiled option for your garden than grafted plants or those propagated from seed . Although graft lilacs rise cursorily when they ’re immature , which take a crap them look impressive in their pots at garden centers , the plants typically decline as they mature . Sometimes , a graft trades union looks like successfully connect , but over time it can split apart — call check inconsistency — which kill the plant . The trouble wo n’t surface until after you ’ve brought a lilac home , plant it and nurture it for several year . So before you purchase , involve doubtfulness about how a lilac was pass around . take an ungrafted plant that has its own roots , propagated from cuttings , layering or tissue paper culture , also bid micropropagation .

References

blooming lilac branches in springtime