Normally, Syringa vulgaris, the botanical name of the common garden lilac, grows as a shrub - often with significantly more than just one trunk, as new shoots continually grow out of the roots. However, as they age, lilacs often appear more tree-like, with several gnarled trunks and a sprawling crown. You can also train the shrub, which grows up to six meters high, as a tree with just one trunk right from the start - a particularly eye-catcher in the middle of a lawn, for example.
What is a lilac standard and how do you grow it?
Training a lilac standard means only allowing one main shoot to grow with a sprawling crown and regularly removing all other shoots. As a standard tree, it is suitable as a pot plant, in small gardens or as a solitary plant and gives every garden a special eye-catcher.
Uses for Lilac as a Tree
The standard tree is a special form of training for lilacs and other shrubs, in which only one main shoot with a sprawling crown is grown - all other shoots growing out of the base should be continuously trimmed. In contrast to bush-like lilacs - which, depending on age and variety, can grow not only tall but also very wide - this form of cultivation saves a lot of space, but also requires a lot of attention and work. A lilac standard can be used in many different ways:
- as a container plant
- in small gardens
- as an eye-catcher in the front garden
- as a solitaire, for example in the middle of a lawn
- as the center of a group planting
How to plant and care for a lilac standard
Basically, nothing distinguishes the lilac high stem from a shrub-like specimen in terms of its needs. The location, soil, water and nutrient requirements remain the same, the standard tree just needs significantly more attention. Since lilacs keep sprouting from the base, the root shoots have to be removed regularly - otherwise you will have a bush again within a very short time.
Planting the standard tree and cutting it into shape
A lilac standard tree is available from specialist retailers for quite a lot of money. It will be cheaper if you make one yourself. Since lilacs are fast-growing and can grow up to 150 centimeters per year under the right conditions, they won't stay small for too long. Planting and cutting is initially carried out in early autumn.
- Dig a sufficiently large planting hole, about twice the size of the root ball.
- Fill this completely with water and wait until it seeps away.
- Mix the excavated material with compost (€12.00 on Amazon) and horn shavings.
- Plant the lilac inside and gently tamp down the soil.
- It shouldn't be any deeper than before in the pot.
- Water it vigorously.
- Select the strongest main shoot.
- Cut off any other shoots coming from the base.
- Shorten this by half.
- Leave at least one side shoot with at least one eye.
- Fix the main shoot with a plant stick.
Now you can overwinter the standard tree. After budding in spring, shorten all new shoots again except for one eye or side shoot - this way the lilac can develop an attractive crown.
Tip
In contrast to a lilac bush, a lilac grown as a standard tree must be cut regularly. If this doesn't happen, it will quickly lose its shape - and will also develop numerous root shoots.
