Colorado’s Japanese Lilac

[Colorado]

It has white flowers!

 

[FreshAirSunshine]

It has white flowers!

View attachment 495091View attachment 495092

I learned this year on my own lilacs that the chemicals responsible for the purple/pink coloration can degrade or something depending on weather. My little Kim Korean lilac bloomed nearly entirely white this year. So there’s a chance it may be a different color next year.

 

[FreshAirSunshine]

I learned this year on my own lilacs that the chemicals responsible for the purple/pink coloration can degrade or something depending on weather. My little Kim Korean lilac bloomed nearly entirely white this year. So there’s a chance it may be a different color next year.

I saw that with several landscape lilac trees as well in the area. Not totally sure on the chemistry of it though.

 

[Colorado]

I learned this year on my own lilacs that the chemicals responsible for the purple/pink coloration can degrade or something depending on weather. My little Kim Korean lilac bloomed nearly entirely white this year. So there’s a chance it may be a different color next year.

Interesting! Time will tell

 

[nuttiest]

No way that flower is pure wedding white! What a nice photo, colorado... love the center in such clear focus on the four petal so perfectly symmetrical, hypnotizing.

 

[Colorado]

No way that flower is pure wedding white! What a nice photo, colorado... love the center in such clear focus on the four petal so perfectly symmetrical, hypnotizing.

Thank you!!

 

[Colorado]

Tucked away to sleep for a long winter



Planning to detail wire in the spring!

 

[FreshAirSunshine]

Tucked away to sleep for a long winter

View attachment 519642

Planning to detail wire in the spring!

Look forward to seeing that!

 

[Colorado]

This tree is an early riser! Buds started swelling in early March and by the end of March were just opening.

Here’s a pic from March 27


Now, a couple weeks later the shoots are extending


Here is the tree in some gentle early morning light


I’ve been having to shuffle it quite a bit since we are still getting freezing temperatures regularly at night.

I decided not to wire it or do anything to it this spring. Last summer I pruned it after the first flush hardened off, and it never put out a second flush. It seemed very weak for the remainder of the year. It seems to be pushing strong now, but don’t want to push my luck. will likely prune and wire it spring 2025.

 

[Colorado]

Fully leafed out! It’s currently in my garage with a few other early growers because it’s snowing….again….

 

[Shogun610]

Fully leafed out! It’s currently in my garage with a few other early growers because it’s snowing….again….

View attachment 541178

Did it flower ?

 

[Colorado]

Did it flower ?

I believe that this species flowers later than other lilacs. Looking back at the thread, last year the flowers peaked on June 21.

I have not pruned it at all since last summer, so I am hoping for more flowers this year!

 

[Colorado]

Well, this tree has really struggled this year. While all of my other trees (mostly native species) are healthier than they’ve ever been, this tree is lookin ragged. It has crispy leaves, dropped a bunch of leaves awhile back, branches have died, and it just generally does not appear to be doing very good.



I think the culprit is that it’s been in this pot for 2 growing seasons now, and I left a good chunk of field soil in the center of the rootball. I have a hunch that is causing these problems. I plan to repot it in the spring and bare root the tree and spray the roots down with a hose. Thankfully although the foliage looks like crap right now, it does have tons of big juicy lookin buds all over the tree.

@Shogun610 It never did flower this year….

Anybody with tips on Japanese lilac feel free to chime in

 

[Colorado]

Leaf drop!



Really needs a repot and wire next spring!