Amur lilac is one of the types of lilac, which is used not only for decorating the garden, but also as a bank and soil strengthening material. The tree received its second name “Crackling” because of the crackling noise emitted by burning damp wood; sparks can fly several meters away.
Description of the species
Amur lilac came to us from Manchuria, the Amur region, Khabarovsk and Primorsky territories, Korea and China.
The best conditions for development are mixed forests, wooded slopes, and bushes.
Spreading in the mountains, it can rise 600 m above sea level. Amur lilac grows up to 10 m in height, and occasionally up to 15 m, and is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub. On the dark bark, white transverse lenticels are clearly visible, young shoots are red-brown in color, slightly reminiscent of cherry shoots.
The leaves do not differ from common lilac, their length ranges from 5 to 10 cm, green in color, heart-shaped.
In autumn the leaves turn a beautiful purple or orange-yellow color. The inflorescences are large, up to 25 cm in length and up to 20 cm in diameter. The flowers are pale cream in color, small, and have a pronounced aroma. It begins to bloom at the end of June, the flowering period lasts 2-3 weeks. For comparison, Hungarian lilac begins to bloom 2 weeks earlier, and common lilac 3 weeks later.
Amur lilac tolerates cold and dry weather well, although it loves rich, well-moistened soil. It develops quickly in urban environments and is not afraid of dust and pollution. The full life cycle of a tree lasts up to 100 years.
Caring for Amur lilac
Lilac is an unpretentious plant, but this does not mean that it does not require special care at all.
The most important thing is that Amur lilac is loosened and fertile. Therefore, periodically you need to dig up weeds and loosen the soil around the trunk. While the tree is young, its roots are located close to the surface, so weeds are especially dangerous for the life of the plant.
The most dangerous ones are wheatgrass, dandelion and honey.
How to care for Amur sulfur:
- Loosening the soil is necessary to provide access to large amounts of oxygen and moisture.
- Abundant watering should be provided at the beginning of summer, approximately 30 liters of water per 1 square meter.
- If the rainfall is moderate, watering can be reduced slightly.
- By the end of summer and autumn, watering is not provided, only in dry weather.
- It is also important not to overwater the plant; excessive watering can cause premature development of buds in the spring or freezing of young shoots in winter.
- In the first year of life of the Amur lilac, it is no further than the planting hole; the older the plant, the more the watering area is increased. If there is a draft or constant strong winds on the site, then watering is slightly increased. Moisture should penetrate to a depth of 40 cm.
- If lilac grows in urban areas or close to a highway, in spring and summer its leaves are washed to remove dust and dirt with a stream of water.
- If there is sulfur dioxide or other gas in the air, then, on the contrary, you should not spray with water, as the resulting acid will penetrate more deeply into the leaves and damage them.
In addition to watering, you need to provide proper nutrition.
For lilac you need:
Nitrogen; Phosphorus; Potassium; Calcium; Magnesium; Sulfur; Iron; Boron; Manganese; Copper; Zinc; Molybdenum; Cobalt; Iodine; Fluorine.
Nitrogen fertilizers can be given already in the second year of development. This is done in the form of three feedings of 50 grams per season, or ammonium nitrate is used in the amount of 70 grams.
The first fertilizing is done a month after the soil has thawed; you don’t even have to wait until the snow has completely melted. The second and subsequent ones in 3 weeks.
Some of the most valuable fertilizers are horse manure, chicken manure and mullein.
Ash is used as a complex. It is taken from dried or cut branches.
Much attention is paid to the formation of the bush; pruning is done already from the 3rd year of the plant’s life. The main trunks should remain those branches that lengthen the bush. Shoots going deep into the crown are completely cut off.
Lilacs are propagated by seeds, layering, cuttings and grafting onto seedlings.
Propagation by seeds
Lilac seeds are collected in late autumn. It is better to collect in wet weather so that the seeds do not spill out. Fruit boxes are dried at room temperature for several days. During this time, the fruit flaps open and the seeds fall out when lightly shaken.
If seeds of particularly valuable varieties do not spill out, they have to be removed from the chambers by hand. This operation is labor-intensive, but this is only carried out if you try to grow a new variety. Common lilac seeds, from which rootstocks for varietal lilacs are usually grown, are collected, shaken out of the leaves, and debris removed.
To stratify the seeds, they are mixed with slightly moistened coarse river sand at the rate of 3 parts sand and 1 part seeds and poured into boxes or cans (the bottom of the can must have holes for water drainage). They definitely hang it. Seeds are stored in a room with a temperature from 0 to +5 degrees. You can store the seeds in the bottom of the refrigerator (do not allow them to dry out).
The duration of stratification is approximately 60 days. In mid-March, the seeds are sown in a box. For sowing, steamed soil is used. When using unprepared garden soil, young plants may become infected with blackleg and die.
Common lilac seeds germinate in 10-15 days, Amur lilac seeds prepared for sowing germinate in 2-3 months.
After 2 weeks, when the second pair of leaves begins to form, the seedlings dive into boxes at a distance of 3-4 cm. In May they are planted in the ground in a permanent place. Autumn planting of seedlings is not recommended, since many of them freeze out over the winter.
You can sow seeds in open ground before winter in a previously prepared bed. Sow in frozen ground or on the first snow. The seeds are planted at a depth of 1-1.5 cm. In the spring they are picked and planted for growing.
In the first year, the seedlings are not fed. In the second year, the plants are inspected and the root shoots are removed. Underdeveloped bushes are pruned to the stump, leaving three to four pairs of well-developed buds on each shoot. In the third year, pruning is repeated (for underdeveloped plants).
Reproduction by layering
When propagated by layering, you can obtain annual seedlings suitable for transplanting by autumn. In our country, this type of propagation is not widespread enough, although it is much cheaper and simpler than, for example, green cuttings.
The three most common methods of producing layering are: Dahlem, in which vertically growing young shoots are removed, Chinese and simple layering, in which strong shoots are laid out horizontally around the bush in furrows and layering develops from the buds of the shoot.
Dahlem way consists of the following: when the young shoots growing on a pruned bush reach a height of 15-20 cm and begin to become lignified in the lower part, they are pulled at the base with soft wire in three to four turns or a transverse incision is made under the first pair of well-developed buds. This technique stimulates root formation. It is better to use copper wire.
Immediately after constriction, the shoots are hilled up to half their height, and as they grow, they continue to add loose fertile soil. Some of the shoots (up to 1/3) are not pulled over, leaving them to maintain the life of the bush. White lilac varieties grow earlier, i.e. when their shoots are only 12-15 cm, since in these forms the roots are formed weaker.
In autumn, the soil and rooted shoots are broken off at the constriction site and seedlings are planted in a school, deepening the roots by 4-5 cm.
Chinese way most economical. For the layering area, choose a flat place, protected from the wind, well heated, without stagnant water. Well-developed three- to four-year-old seedlings are used. The shoots are removed in early spring, as soon as the soil dries well.
For each shoot to be removed, a groove 1.5-2 cm deep is made. Annual, highly developed, long shoots are bent to the ground and laid out radically in the grooves. The shoots are pinched to the bottom of the groove in two or three places using wire arches or wooden pegs. Lay out carefully to preserve all the buds formed on the shoot. The spread out shoots are sprinkled with loose soil on top.
To form roots, the shoots are pulled with soft copper wire in front of a pair of buds with two to three turns (section 0.3-0.5 cm). The wire should slightly squeeze the bark, but not slide along it. Re-stretching can be done before or after bending.
Rooting begins 40-50 days after the start of the growing season. From the buds of the spread out cuttings shoots grow vertically, which take root after hilling.
When the shoots grow to 12-15 cm, they are hilled up to 1/2-1/3 of the height and this operation is repeated two to three times during the growing season, bringing the soil layer to 20-25 cm. When watering, you need to ensure that the soil around the hilled the shoots were not washed away. To do this, the bush is shed in the center.
In early autumn, after heavy rain or watering, the bush is unplanted, the rooted shoots are cut off or with a knife, leaving a stump 10-12 cm high. The work must be carried out carefully so as not to damage the mother plant and the root system of the layering. Rooted cuttings are grown for two to three years.
Simple lead
To create the main bush, you can make layering to the sides, bending the branches to the ground and securing them with pegs. After rooting, the cuttings are separated, while the mother plant retains its decorative properties.
Reproduction by root layering
Lilacs are also propagated by root layering ("rhizome shoots"). From 4-5 years of age, own-rooted varieties of common lilac begin to produce shoots. But there are varieties, for example, "Beauty of Moscow", "Leonid Leonov", "Marshal Vasilevsky", which practically do not produce shoots The shoots are grown for up to two to three years, without being separated from the mother plant. At the end of summer, the shoots are separated and planted for growing. Before separation, the operation is best carried out in cloudy weather or in the morning and evening hours.
Growing rootstock
The best rootstock for common lilac varieties is the common lilac itself. It ensures strong fusion, durability, winter hardiness and good development of the scion. Ash is sometimes used for the rootstock, but with the condition of subsequent deepening during planting for the scion to form its own roots. These plants are mainly used as rootstocks in dry areas. On damp soils, Hungarian lilac can be recommended as a rootstock.
And yet, the best fusion of scion and rootstock is on plants of the same species.
Graft
There are several methods of vaccination. Let's look at the most accessible and common of them.
One of the best ways to graft lilacs with cuttings is compilation, when the tissues of the scion and rootstock most closely match. If the operation is performed well, fusion occurs in two to two and a half months. The stem or shoot of the rootstock should have the same or almost the same thickness as the stem of the grafted cutting. The cutting should not be allowed to exceed the thickness of the rootstock. Copulation of young plants can be done at the root collar, into a trunk at the desired height and into the crown, grafting each skeletal branch separately.
In the spring, when sap flow has not yet begun, you can graft into the butt with an oblique cut.
Simple copying, or an oblique cut. Cut the prepared cuttings with an oblique cut at an angle of 45 degrees (cut surface 1.5 to 2 cm long). The rootstock is cut at the same angle and the same length. Precision cuts are achieved with practice. Apply the scion to the rootstock, holding it tightly with your hands and tie it with film.
Copulation with tongue(improved, or English copulation). Make oblique cuts at an angle of 45 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the shoots. To increase the contact surface and create a tighter and stronger connection between the scion and the rootstock, longitudinal cuts are made on both sections.
Grafting behind the bark ("into the stump"). Used when the rootstock is thicker than the scion. A regular oblique cut is made on the cutting. The rootstock is cut with a file or pruning shears, after which the cut is cleaned with a garden knife. A longitudinal cut is made on the bark under the cut, the length of which should approximately correspond to the length of the cut on the cutting. The bark is then slightly separated from the trunk and the cutting is firmly inserted under it. In this case, approximately 1/5 of the cut on the cutting remains open above the cut of the rootstock.
The graft is tightly tied and covered. Wounds on branches and upper sections of grafted cuttings are also covered.
Cleft grafting. Used when refining plants with thick branches. Cutting branches and cleaning wounds is carried out in the same way as when grafting onto the bark. The rootstock is split across the cut with a special knife. To avoid a very deep split, the branch is first tied with adhesive tape 10-12 cm below the cut.
On a cutting with two to three eyes, two opposite cuts 2.5-3.5 cm long are made so that in the lower part it takes the shape of a pointed wedge. When inserting a cutting into a split, you need to ensure that the cambial tissues of the scion and rootstock match. The graft is tied with film and covered with garden pitch.
Eye grafting (budding). Cuttings are taken only from mother plants that have reached flowering. It is better to prepare cuttings on the day of budding. The leaf blades are immediately removed, leaving petioles 1-1.2 cm long. A T-shaped cut is made at the inlet and the bark is slightly separated at the edges of the cut above the wood with a blade (very carefully). You can remove the eye from the cutting without wood using the “half-pipe” or “half-pipe” method.
On both sides between the buds, longitudinal strips of bark 3.5-4 cm long are removed with a knife. Deep transverse cuts are made above and below the bud, approximately 1-1.5 cm from its base. After this, carefully move the shield to the side with your fingers. The eye obtained in this way has the appearance of a tube cut along the length. The shield with the kidney is carefully inserted into the T-shaped incision and advanced until it reaches the end, being careful not to crush the cortex of the lower tip of the shield. The upper part of the shield is cut off.
The shield with the eye is smoothed with your fingers, pressing the edges of the rootstock bark, and quickly tied. For tying, strips of polyethylene film 1 cm wide and 30 cm long are used.
The success of budding depends largely on the sharpness of the knife (like a razor), cleanliness of hands, speed and accuracy. Vaccinations should be performed in dry weather (in rain and wind, grafts do not grow well together). After 15-20 days, the survival rate of the eyes is checked. The petiole is easily separated from the scutellum if the eye has taken root. It is better to leave the strapping until the spring of next year.
Eye grafting is used in spring and summer. Summer vaccinations are usually carried out from July 15 to August 15.
The success of grafting is largely determined by the weather. In dry summers, survival rate decreases. If there is no rain for a long time, then the day before (3-5 days before) the rootstock should be watered well. The best time for vaccinations is cold weather.
All planted and grafted plants require constant watering, loosening, etc. Grafted cuttings that have begun to grow must be promptly attached to the peg and ensure that there are no constrictions.
After grafting into clefts, butts, and bark, it is recommended to protect the grafted cuttings from damage by birds.
A tree or multi-stemmed shrub - Amur lilac - is widely used in landscape design as an ornamental plant and soil-stabilizing species. In the wild, it is distributed in the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories, the Amur Region, Manchuria, China and the Korean Peninsula. It grows on mountain slopes and in wooded areas located at an altitude of up to 600 m above sea level.
Thanks to its excellent external characteristics and the ability to grow in one place for up to 100 years, this type of lilac has become the basis for the development of new crops. Scientists have been selecting plants with similar properties since the mid-19th century. During this time, many varieties and new forms of the Amur beauty were obtained.
Amur lilac: botanical characteristics of the species
Amur lilac is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub that can grow up to 20 m in height in nature and up to 10 m in cultivation. It has a very wide spreading crown. It becomes more beautiful if you give it the necessary shape.
During the first time after planting, the plant develops slowly, practically without forming shoots. All the seedling's strength goes into forming a powerful root system. Initially, it is located close to the top level of the soil. Then he goes deep into it. Over time, growth accelerates, and by 10 years the crop turns into a luxurious bush tree with beautiful greenery and especially large inflorescences.
Mature lignified trunks are strong and hard, reaching 20-30 cm in diameter. The bark on them is a dark gray shade with clearly visible lentils. The wood is pure white and very heavy.
Young shoots, colored red-brown, resemble cherry branches. They are often used as fuel. When burning, they emit a strong crackling sound and scatter sparks over several meters. Thanks to this property, Amur lilac received its second name - “crackling”.
The leaves of the Amur centenarian are similar in shape and color to all representatives of the Lilac genus of the Maslinov family. They are painted dark green. They have a regular ellipsoidal shape with a heart-shaped structure. They are large in size: they grow up to 10–11 cm in length. 
Unlike common lilac, which does not change the color of its foliage in autumn, Amur lilac blooms in different colors. At this time of year, it can be an unusually beautiful purple or golden-orange, sparkling with bright highlights in the sun.
Another difference from garden lilac is the flowering time. “Treskun” blooms at the end of June and continues to delight others with bright buds for 3 weeks, capturing the first half of July.
Small, 5-6 mm in diameter, four-petal flowers with clearly visible stamens are collected in large, up to 20-25 cm in length and the same in diameter, panicle inflorescences. They form at the ends of young shoots in huge numbers and cover the bush from bottom to top. 
The flowers are painted white or cream. They exude a very delicate and pleasant aroma. This attracts pollinating insects and serves as an excellent honey plant for them.
Amur lilac does not form fruits, but seeds are formed inside the faded buds, suitable for sowing and obtaining new seedlings. To improve decorative properties and obtain more abundant flowering next season, dry panicles are removed. They are used as a remedy in the preparation of alcoholic tinctures and aqueous decoctions for the treatment of skin diseases. The use of lilac panicles in cosmetology is known.
Amur lilac: features of application in landscape design
Thanks to this quality, it is widely used in landscaping parks and squares, industrial zones, and lines running along highways. It can be seen on the streets of Moscow and the nearest Moscow region, in other regions of our country that do not have favorable climatic and environmental conditions.
Shrubs feel especially comfortable near bodies of water. There its greenery looks especially attractive, the inflorescences are larger and brighter. Therefore, the Amur beauty is planted next to natural ponds and artificial water bodies.
Amur lilac, like no other type of this crop, can serve as an excellent material for constructing a hedge. This is explained by the species properties of the plant:
- it has a thick, wide spreading crown that reaches to the ground;
- it can develop on poor rocky soils and does not become capricious with a lack of care;
- she feels great among relatives or in the vicinity of other ornamental crops;
- it can grow in one place for many years without losing its attractiveness.
Eastern centenarian can be placed in single-row and double-row plantings, combined with low-growing shrubs, perennial or annual flower crops. Against the background of its dense greenery in spring, bright peony inflorescences look good. In summer, the snow-white beauty of the flowering shrub is emphasized by the green foliage of other ornamental plants, for example, boxwood or cotoneaster.
It looks original alone in solitary plantings. In the summer, during the long flowering period, it is completely covered with delicate white flowers, which turns it into a fairy-tale beauty. The enchanting aroma emanating from the blossoming buds spreads over several meters around and attracts the attention of not only insects, but also people passing by. In autumn, the bright color of the leaves makes Amur lilac stand out against the background of gray walls or a green lawn and makes it visible from any corner of the garden.
Lovers of lilac bushes should have different types of it in the garden in order to delight themselves with the magnificent flowering and amazing smell emanating from this crop for a long time. Amur lilacs must grow next to ordinary lilacs.
Amur lilac is one of the many varieties of this plant. It is used not only for decorative design of gardens, but also as a soil-strengthening plant. This lilac has another name - “crack” lilac. She got it because of the crackling sound that the damp burning branches of the plant make.
Amur lilac: description
Amur lilac is a deciduous multi-stemmed shrub that can reach a height of up to 10 meters. It has a beautiful spreading crown. It becomes especially attractive if it is shaped. After planting in the first year, the “crack” (Amur) lilac develops rather slowly and almost does not form young shoots. All the efforts of the seedling are aimed at creating a root system. At first it is not deep. In the second or third year, the roots go deep into the soil. Gradually, growth becomes more active, and by 10 years the small bush turns into a very beautiful bush tree.
Mature lilac trunks are hard and durable. They reach 30 cm in diameter. They are covered with dark gray bark. The wood is white and very heavy. Young shoots are red-brown in color and slightly resemble cherry branches. They are quite often used as fuel. When burning, they crack loudly, sparks fly several meters.
The Amur lilac, the photo of which you see in our article, has leaves that are no different in color and shape from those of other representatives of the Lilac genus. They are also painted dark green and have a regular ellipse shape. The leaves are large, up to 11 cm long.
As you know, common lilac does not change the color of its foliage in autumn. In contrast, Amur lilac, photos and descriptions of which can now be found in all publications for gardeners, turns different colors in the fall. At this time, it is unusually beautiful, the leaves can have a purple or golden-orange hue. In addition, this variety of lilac differs from the garden plant we are used to in its flowering time. “Treskun” begins to bloom at the end of June and pleases with its buds for three weeks.
The flowers of Amur lilac are small - no more than six millimeters in diameter. They consist of four petals and clearly visible stamens. The flowers are collected in fairly large panicle inflorescences. They appear at the ends of young shoots in large numbers and literally envelop the entire bush. They are colored cream or more often white, have a pleasant delicate aroma - this is why they attract pollinators and are an excellent honey plant for them.
Amur lilac has no fruit. Inside the buds that have already bloomed, seeds appear that can be planted and new seedlings obtained. To ensure more abundant flowering next season, dry panicles must be removed. They can be used as a remedy for the preparation of water decoctions and alcohol tinctures, which are very effective in the treatment of certain skin diseases.
Amur lilac “sudarushka”
This variety is very popular among gardeners. It is a multi-stemmed shrub with a spreading dense crown. It reaches ten meters in height. They can be from 5 to 11 cm long. When the leaves first bloom, they have a purple-greenish color; in summer they change their color to dark green, while the underside remains lighter.
The flowers are small, cream or pure white, and have a strong honey scent. They are located on short stalks in the form of wide, large, paniculate inflorescences. “Sudarushka” blooms profusely for twenty days.
Landing
Today, Amur lilac grows in many garden plots. Planting and caring for this plant is simple. This variety of lilac prefers open sunny areas, well protected from the winds. The area should be well-drained and not flooded in the spring, when active snow melting begins, and in the fall during prolonged downpours. Stagnation of water, even for a short time, can cause the death of young roots.
Lilac is unpretentious, but it will bloom profusely only on fertile, slightly acidic or neutral, loose soils that contain a lot of humus. It is recommended to lime acidic soils. Heavy clay soils can be improved by adding sand and humus to them. If groundwater is very close, drainage is necessary.
Before planting lilacs in planting holes, they must be filled with compost or humus and superphosphate. It is better to plant bushes in August, since in the spring the lilac buds swell early, and in this state the plant cannot tolerate transplantation. If your planting material is in containers, then you can plant them at any time.
Care
This unpretentious plant is Amur lilac. Reviews from gardeners convince us of this. However, this does not mean that the plant does not need care. We have already said that fertile, loose soil is important for this plant. Therefore, from time to time it is necessary to dig up weeds and loosen the soil around the trunk. Weeds are especially dangerous for a young bush when its roots are still close to the surface. The most dangerous are considered to be wheatgrass, squash, and dandelion. Loosening the soil will allow more moisture and oxygen to flow to the roots of the plant.
Watering
At the beginning of summer, the plant needs abundant watering - about 30 liters per 1 square meter. If the rainfall is moderate at this time, you can slightly reduce watering. By the end of summer and autumn, the bushes do not require watering, only if there is a drought.
It is equally important not to over-moisten the soil. Excessive watering can cause early bud development in spring or freezing of young shoots in winter. In the first year after planting, Amur lilac is watered no further than the planting hole, and then the area of watering is increased.
If there is constant strong wind on your site, then watering can be increased. Moisture should saturate the soil to at least 40 cm. If the lilac grows near a highway, in spring and summer its leaves should be washed from dirt and dust with a stream of water.
Top dressing
Amur lilac needs proper nutrition. Already in the second year it can be applied. Usually this is done in the form of three feedings (50 grams per season). You can also use ammonium nitrate (70 grams).
The first fertilizing is carried out a month after the soil has thawed, the second and subsequent ones - after 3 weeks. Quite often, ash obtained from dried or cut branches is used as a complex fertilizer.
Trimming
Since in natural conditions the plant is quite massive, great attention should be paid to the formation of the bush. The first pruning is carried out already in the third year of the lilac’s life. The main trunks are those branches that lengthen the bush. Shoots that go deep into the crown are cut off completely.
Reproduction
Amur lilac is propagated in several ways:
- seeds;
- cuttings;
- layering;
- vaccination.
In late autumn, in wet weather, you can collect the seeds. The boxes are then dried at room temperature for several days. To stratify the seeds, they are mixed with damp fine sand in a ratio of 1:3 and left in any container that has holes for water drainage. It should be in a cool room (no more than +5 degrees). Experienced gardeners use the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for this purpose.
Amur lilac Latin name - Syrínga amurensis; English - Amur lilac. Discovered by Russian botanists R. K. Maak and K. I. Maksimovich in 1855, described by F. I. Ruprecht in 1857.
Belongs to the genus lilac (Syringa L.) from the olive family (Qleaceae Lindl.)
A small tree, in places of natural growth sometimes reaching 20 m in height; in cultivation, it is often a shrub up to 5-8 m high. The bark of older trunks and branches is reddish-brown, shiny, reminiscent of cherry bark. Young shoots are dark gray, glabrous, with light oval lenticels, very thin, mostly arched under the weight of the leaves. The buds are small, finely pointed, dark purple or brown. The leaves are on relatively short, thin petioles, ovate, broadly oval, short-pointed, on average 11 cm long and 8 cm wide, bare on both sides, greenish-purple when blooming, or reddish only at the edges. They then become light green underneath and darker, matte on top.
The inflorescences develop at the ends of short shoots from paired apical buds, large, broadly paniculate, up to 15-20 cm long, diverging at a very obtuse angle, which gives the panicles an openwork, spreading appearance. The flowers are 5-8 mm in diameter, creamy white, with a honey aroma; in shape, color and aroma they resemble privet flowers, from which the name of the subgenus - ligustrins - comes. Two large anthers rise above the flower on thin staminate filaments. The stigma of the pistil also protrudes from the tube. Under the conditions of Moscow, it blooms in the second half of June, sometimes in the first ten days of July, two weeks later than the Hungarian lilac. Flowering duration is 15-20 days. Seed sets well. They are much larger than those of other species - up to 15 mm long and 6 mm wide. The average weight of 1000 seeds is 15-18 g. They germinate for a long time - three to four months and therefore require stratification.
Area of natural distribution: Far East (Amur region, Primorsky Krai, Kuril Islands); northeastern part of China, Korea. It is found on the edges of mixed and deciduous forests and in river valleys. It is quite winter-hardy in the European part of Russia; it even winters in the Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden on the Kola Peninsula, is quite drought-resistant, and grows well in deep, aerated soils. In the Moscow region, freezing of the tops of annual growth was observed only in the most severe winters.
The species tolerates significant air pollution and is suitable for landscaping industrial centers, areas of factories and factories. Amur lilac is easy to propagate by seeds and green cuttings. It is of interest for landscape and park construction as a highly ornamental plant, especially during the flowering period, with a beautiful spreading crown. It grows quickly and is unpretentious in cultivation. Combining it with other species significantly (more than two months) lengthens the overall flowering period of lilacs.
Quite often, Amur lilac is found in botanical gardens and other introduction points, in gardens and parks of Ukraine, and extends to the north and east to St. Petersburg - Kirov - Ufa. In the Asian part of Russia it grows well in the area of Yekaterenburg and Tomsk.
A variety of Amur lilac is Japanese lilac.
Amur lilac planting dates
Planting material should have a healthy, well-branched lobe. The diameter of the root system and its length when digging is 25-30 cm.
The total height of varietal lilac in bush form is 0.5-0.7 m and higher, depending on the commercial variety. The number of skeletal branches in the first variety is 4-5, in the second - 3-4. The scion is two years old.
The best time to plant lilacs in the central zone of the European part of Russia is the second half of August - early September. Lilac bushes transplanted in late autumn or spring, with growing buds, are more difficult to take root and produce almost no growth in the first year after planting. At the same time, the rapid onset of dormancy in lilacs makes it possible to successfully plant them not only in the fall, but also in the summer, from about mid-July. L.A. Kolesnikov transplanted lilacs even earlier - soon after flowering in the phase of complete browning of the shoots.
Transplanting leafy seedlings at the end of July - August gives excellent results, especially if they are dug up with a clod of earth. However, in this case, the time gap between digging and planting should be reduced to a minimum, and at the end of the work, the plants should be watered abundantly. The leaves of lilacs transplanted at this time do not fade, the roots quickly begin to grow, and in the spring the condition of the bushes is almost the same as that of non-transplanted ones.
Lilacs are planted in cool, cloudy weather or in the evening. Do not plant in waterlogged soil; dry soil must be watered. The size of the clod of earth on the roots of the seedling must be at least 25x25 cm.
Before planting, the crown is moderately pruned, overly long roots are slightly shortened, and damaged and diseased ones are removed. For seedlings used for landscaping, the root system when dug up should remain long, with a diameter of 25-30 cm, depending on the varietal and species characteristics. Annual shoots are shortened by two or three pairs of buds. This is necessary to balance the above-ground part with the root system cut off during digging. The plants are placed in the center of the hole on a mound of fertile soil, the roots are evenly distributed and gradually covered with soil of the same composition. The soil is compacted.
The planting depth depends on the type of plant and the method of growing seedlings. Seedlings of all types of lilac are planted so that the root collar is at soil level after planting. Seedlings grafted onto common lilac rootstock are planted 3-4 cm higher to reduce the number of shoots.
Seedlings of varietal lilac, grafted on privet and Hungarian lilac, are buried 5-8 cm for subsequent transfer to their own roots. Self-rooted varietal lilac seedlings are also slightly buried when planting.
After planting, the soil around the trunk circle is watered abundantly, and when the water is absorbed, mulch with a half-rotted leaf, peat or humus with a layer of 5-7 cm. In standard forms, the trunk is tied to a stake in a “figure eight”. The stake is filed slightly below the first branch of the crown.
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The southeastern outskirts of Russia is a special place. They began to master and explore it only in the middle of the 19th century. For scientists, Manchuria became a land of miracles, because plants from different geographical zones coexisted here. One of the amazing discoveries was the crackling tree, which looks so similar to the lilac familiar to us all.
Genus cod
All representatives of the small genus of codfish (Ligustrina Rupr.) are native to East Asia: Northeast China, the Korean Peninsula, Japan, the Kuril Islands, the Amur Region and the Primorsky Territory of Russia.
The word “trekkun” or “trekuchka” was borrowed from the Far Eastern inhabitants, who heated their homes with this wood. When burning, firewood produces a loud crackling sound - hence the name.
Four species of the genus are long-lived deciduous shrubs (in the northern part of the range) or small trees (in the southern part) that retain their decorative properties for decades. High frost and winter hardiness and a short growing season (80-90 days) make it possible to grow ligustrins even in the Far North. Codfish are light-loving. They are little susceptible to diseases and pests.
In the city, crackers tolerate smoke well. Their foliage is a natural filter and traps dust three times more than other deciduous trees.
Since ancient times, Manchuria, where codfish are one of the main elements of the flora, was inhabited by peoples whose main occupations were hunting and fishing. Durable codwood was ideal for a spear shaft. In China, ligustrins are used to make turning and carpentry tools.
Amur codfish
Amur codfish (L. amurensis Rupr.) is common in Northeast China and Korea, where it grows in the mountains at an altitude of 1700–2200 m. In the Russian Far East, it lives in the middle and lower reaches of the Amur River, the Bureinsky Mountains at an altitude of 600 m and to the south throughout the Primorsky Territory. It is predominantly a valley plant. In the mountains, he chooses high-mountain plains and lowlands with well-moistened, fresh, nutritious soils.
The largest tree-shaped specimens reach 10–11 m in height and 20 cm in trunk diameter.
The shape of the leaf blades resembles the leaves of the common lilac: elliptical,
oval, long-pointed with a truncated or heart-shaped base. Along the edge they are trimmed with short hairs, making them rough to the touch, but they can also be smooth. The budding foliage has a purple tint. Fully expanded leaves are thin, but quite dense, the color of young grass, with a slight sheen.
The shoots usually end in a short spine, on both sides of which there are buds that give rise to shoot inflorescences that grow at an obtuse angle to each other.
Small white or cream flowers are united by purple-brown axes into huge - up to 25 cm in length and 20 cm in diameter - openwork paniculate inflorescences. There is an opinion that the nectar and pollen of Ligustrina are poisonous to insects, but no reliable information has been obtained about this. In its homeland, the flowering of the codfish begins in the second half of June and lasts 2–3 weeks, depending on the weather.
If the soil is not turfed, thickets of self-seeding will form near the cod. Cod seeds are up to 15 mm long and 5–6 mm wide. They are brown and surrounded by a lighter yellowish wing. The seeds are hidden in twos in oblong purple fruits. Mature fruits open their doors in dry weather and close on rainy days. Once freed from seeds, they remain on the branches all winter.
Young plants retain their decorative appearance after leaf fall due to the color of the branches and trunk. The shiny reddish-brown bark resembles cherry bark. Over time, it cracks and loses its red tint.
Peking codfish
The Beijing codfish (L. pekinensis Rupr.), originally from the Celestial Empire, has chosen the high-mountainous northern regions of the country and adorns the banks of rivers at altitudes of 2000–2200 m above sea level. South of Beijing it is found in the provinces of Gansu, Shanxi, Shaanxi and Hunan.
In foreign lands, Chinese ligustrina most often grows as a powerful bush up to 5 m in height, but in China there are trees reaching 12 m. In cultivation, there is a weeping form of L. pekinensis ‘Pendula’.
The brownish-brown bark of old trunks, cut with cracks, resembles a plum tree. Dotted with lentils, young branches are brown with a reddish tint. Annual branches are light green-brown. During the wintering period, they can freeze slightly, since the peculiarity of this species is incomplete ripening of the wood and less resistance to frost.
The Beijing cod blooms in the second half of June, 3–5 days later than the Amur cod. Flowering lasts up to 20 days. Very fragrant, small, 6 mm in diameter, flowers with a funnel-shaped tube are united in dense panicles 12–15 cm in length and about 8 cm in width. The slightly elongated cream petals have a barely noticeable light lilac bloom on the outside.
The bright dark green leaves are oval or broadly lanceolate, 5–10 cm long and 2–4 cm wide. At the apex they are briefly pointed, and towards the base they taper wedge-shaped or have a semi-heart-shaped outline. Petioles are 1.5–2.5 cm long. At first they are purple-brown, which enlivens the spring palette of the crown. Bare on top, the leaf blade is slightly pubescent on the reverse side, which is why it has a grayish-green tint.
Before ripening, winged seeds are packed in oblong glossy boxes 1.8 cm in length. Thin and soft at first, the light green “worms” gradually thicken and turn brown. At the end of autumn they open, releasing seeds.
Japanese codfish
Japanese codfish (L. amurensis var. japonica Maxim.) grows at altitudes of 2000–2500 m above sea level in the deciduous forests of the islands of Gizo, Honshu and the largest mountainous island of the Great Kuril ridge closest to Japan - Kunashir. This species was discovered in 1874? K.?J.?Maksimovich, who described the plant as a variety of its Amur relative. The abbreviated surname of the scientist is present at the end of the Latin name of the species. Some authors identify this ligustrin as a separate species.
The Japanese codfish is the most luxurious representative of the genus. Local trees reach 30 m in height. They have large leaves up to 14–15 cm long and 9 cm wide, inflorescences up to 30 cm long and 18 cm wide and flowers. The Japanese does not resemble its Amur relative in the color of the shoots and leaves, pubescence and warts on the surface of the fruit pods.
In February, a noticeable amount of starch appears in the tissues of the shoots. This indicates the activation of vital processes, which during a long winter can lead to freezing. There is no hope that the Japanese cod will reach large sizes in our conditions. In the Askania-Nova Botanical Park, Japanese ligustrins at the age of 70–75 years reached 5 m in height.
Treskun Fori
The habitat of the Fori codfish (L. fauriei Lev.) is located in the forested mountains of the northeastern part of the Korean Peninsula.
The codfish Fori came to Russia through Canada and France, making an almost round-the-world trip.
The Fori cod differs from its Amur neighbor in its elongated lanceolate leaves, elongated at the base and heavily pubescent along the veins. The plant is a tree-like plant, reaching a height of 18–20 m in its homeland.
Growing and care
All species are relatively unpretentious and develop well in culture. They care for the codling tree in the same way as for the common lilac. During prolonged droughts, the plant must be watered.
Reproduction
Ligustrins are easily propagated by seeds and vegetatively.
When sowing in spring, the seeds are stratified within 1.0–1.5 months. Before sowing, they are treated with surfactants: 0.0003–0.0005% sodium humate solution or 0.2% thiourea solution. In unfavorable years, the seeds germinate in the spring of the following year. The embedment depth is 1–2 cm.
The first two years, seedlings develop very slowly. They bloom in the 6th–7th, sometimes 8th year.
Green cuttings are cut at the end of June - the first ten days of July, and semi-lignified cuttings - during the flowering period. They are rooted in a cold greenhouse. High air temperatures accelerate the root formation process.
Budding is carried out during the period when the bark is well behind. A universal rootstock is common lilac.