Lilac Bushes and Trees are distinct; they are comparable in certain ways. However, how can you distinguish between the two? And what specific differences exist between them?
This article compares and contrasts lilac trees and bushes, explaining how to distinguish between them based on appearances in addition to other distinctions and similarities.
Are Lilacs Trees or Bushes?
Lilacs can develop into trees or bushes. If you come across a lilac shaped like a tree, it is understandable that you might be perplexed because most lilacs that are sold these days are bushes.
Although lilac bushes come in hundreds of variants, Syringa reticulata is the only lilac tree. In the past, you hadn’t seen them all that often. These days, a growing number of homeowners and landscapers are looking for them, partly because they remain very tiny for a tree.
Difference between Lilac Bush and Tree
The quantity and arrangement of the stems determine the difference.
Lilac bushes are characterized by several woody stems that emerge from the base of the plant, as is customary. However, the trunk is the only wooden stem on the majority of lilac trees. But you can also graft the shrub lilacs from your local garden center onto a single stem or a standard to make them look like little trees.
When choosing between a lilac bush and a lilac tree, available space is typically the determining factor. Because they come in a variety of sizes, lilac bushes may fit into tight spaces in gardens. A lilac tree can grow up to 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide, but it needs room. They both require sunlight to properly bloom.
Pruning Lilacs Bushes vs. Trees
Generally speaking, taking care of lilacs is the same whether you have a tree or a shrub. Pruning is one exception. Pruning lilac shrubs a few weeks after blossoming is an annual pruning task that removes old blossoms. If desired, you can also prune back lilac bushes to keep them at a particular height.
For lilac trees, trim seed heads a few weeks after flowering when the tree is still small. As the tree gets bigger over a few years, pruning becomes unnecessary. If your shrub lilac is grafted onto a single stem, giving it the appearance of a miniature tree, you should trim it each year after it flowers. By doing this, it will maintain its form.
Whenever possible, trim your lilac shrub or tree a few weeks after it flowers. You will remove the blossom buds for the following spring if you leave pruning until the last minute.
Also Read: Lilac Varieties
Five Lilac Trees and Shrubs to Try
Lilac trees and bushes exist in hundreds of types, so it would not be difficult for a gardener with enough space to start a collection. For the rest of us, planting types that bloom at different times helps guarantee we have lilacs to enjoy for several weeks each spring as long as we reside in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 7.
Remember that lilacs prefer light, well-drained soil above everything else. If planted in the shade, they won’t reliably blossom in the spring.
Moreover, while we all know it’s hard to resist buying lilacs at the neighbourhood garden center when they’re in full bloom, they thrive when planted in the autumn or early spring, when they’re still dormant. These stunning items are perfect to start or expand your collection:
Classic lilac shrub
Searching for a traditional lilac bush? The common or French lilac, Syringa vulgaris, can start blooming as early as mid-to late April, making it one of the first lilacs to bloom in most gardens. It frequently reaches a height of 12 feet or more, making it one of the tallest lilacs.
There are hundreds of variations with single or double petals, different smells, and colours ranging from white to pink to classic light purple.
New reblooming lilac bush
If you want to have lilac blooms from summer into October, you might want to plant one of the new reblooming varieties, such as Proven Winners’ Boomerang lilacs.
All types grow to a maximum height of approximately five feet. It has the first flush of spring blossoms and continues to bloom into autumn.
Lollipop-shaped grafted lilac tree
If you prefer a tree shape but still like the conventional purple lilac petals, the Meyer Lilac, Syringa meyeri, is a great option. It is grafted onto a single stem to resemble a lollipops-shaped tree. Meyer lilacs make excellent little hedges and are equally available for sale as bushes.
A true lilac tree
The Japanese Tree Lilac, Syringa reticulata, is the only true lilac tree that grows in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 7.
When fully grown, this little, slowly growing tree may reach a height of 20 to 25 feet. The ivory-coloured, intensely perfumed blossoms draw a lot of pollinators when they open in late May or early June.
Classic lilac bush, but smaller
The Manchurian lilac, sometimes called “Miss Kim,” or Syringa pubescents subsp., usually appears in early May. Its blooms peak at around nine feet an have a faint perfume. This is a decent option if you’re not seeking a shrub that will grow as tall as a regular lilac.
Conclusion
If the remarkable height of the common lilac and the characteristic size of the shrub on standard don’t deceive you, you should be able to distinguish trees from shrubs more easily after taking a trip among the lilacs.
By keeping these criteria in mind, you can apply your newly gained understanding of plants that are in between trees and shrubs to other plants.
FAQ
Will lilac shrubs or trees continue to bloom?
Their respective bloom times are roughly equal. The difference between a tree and a shrub does not affect when a plant blooms.
Can lilac-bearing bushes or trees thrive in shadows?
In their natural hardiness zones, lilac trees and bushes prefer full light. They can withstand some shade, though they can lessen its influence on blooming.
What differentiates a shrub from a bush?
In the context of gardening, the terms are interchangeable and have no particular meaning. While “shrub” is usually used to describe a multi-stemmed woody plant that has been properly cultivated and maintained, “bush” is a phrase used to describe a multi-stemmed, wild, woody plant that has not been pruned.