Lilac

Wholesale Lilac Shrubs in Michigan

Based in Michigan, Cold Stream Farm is a wholesale producer of lilac shrubs and many other flowers, plants, and trees. We are proud to offer retail and wholesale prices for Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) orders with no minimum quantity requirements.

Our lilacs come in both transplant and bare root seedlings to best suit the demands of your property and project. Depending on availability, Cold Stream Farm can supply limited quantities of Lilac shrubs in various sizes and life stages. Shipping is available throughout North America, with additional costs for Canadian, Alaskan, and Hawaiian orders.

Everything You Need to Know about Lilac Shrubs

Before you order your lilacs, it is important to confirm that your property has the space and suitable living conditions for a healthy plant. Although they require very little maintenance, unsuitable growing areas will quickly kill an underperforming lilac shrub.

Size, Shape, and Appearance

It is very easy to modify the size and shape of a lilac installation through purposeful trimming and control of the plants’ suckers. Mature lilac plants can range from 6 to 32 feet tall with a spread ranging from 8 to 12 feet in diameter.

If left unkempt, lilac bushes may grow into oval, round, and sometimes irregular shapes. The plants are most recognized for their colorful May flowers that primarily contain hues of lavender, purple, and white.

Ideal Lilac Shrub Growing Conditions

Lilacs prefer full sun for ideal growing conditions. However, lilac plants may still be able to thrive in partially shaded areas. With a preference for neutral or acidic soil, lilacs can grow in a wide range of soil conditions.

In the United States, lilacs are best suited for USDA zones 3-7. To improve the size of your lilac blooms, firewood ash can be spread along the plant’s drip line. For a lilac to stay healthy, adequate drainage is required and plants are known to survive even severe drought conditions.

Common Lilac Uses

Thanks to their size and density, lilac shrubs are often used as screens or hedges around the border of a property. Aside from their functionality, many people enjoy both the bright colors and aromas of lilac flowers. For this reason, many people plant the shrubs ornamentally.

With their distinctive smell, lilac flowers have made their way into many perfumes and potpourri scent products. Lilacs are also edible and are often infused into oil or honey as a member of the olive family.

There are many medicinal benefits of lilac leaves, flowers, and fruit. The plant has been used in teas to historically provide anti-periodic treatments against malaria, fevers, and other ailments. Astringents in lilac also make the plant useful as a facial skin toner.

Lilac plants are tolerant of salt, deer browsing, and even heavy-clay soils. This makes them popular for creating sheltered habitats in otherwise difficult areas. Lilacs are also shallow-rooted, making a single layer of mulch typically sufficient.

Ecology of Lilac Plants

The scents and flowers of lilac plants attract primarily moth and butterfly species to feed and hatch their larva. Lilac plants also attract bees, birds, and small ground animals seeking temporary shelter. To protect the maximum number of animal species, lilac plants are best added to areas of a property away from heavy wind conditions.

Considerations and Difficulties

Although they are very resistant to ordinary outdoor conditions, lilacs are susceptible to a few diseases and damages from insects. Most commonly, lilac owners should scan a plant’s leaves for spots, discoloration, and defoliation from powdery mildew or bacterial blight.

Unwanted insects such as caterpillars and oyster hall scales will create holes in lilacs while sucking the plants dry. To prevent this, growers can apply pesticides, perform regular pruning, and even add horticultural oil in the winter.

Lilac Fun Facts

• Healthy, resilient lilacs can live to be over 100 years old
• The Lilac is the official state flower of New Hampshire
• There are hundreds of lilac varieties bearing different blends of color
• The plant is native to the Balkan Peninsula
• Lilacs were introduced to Europe in the 1500s and America in the 1700s

The Lifecycle of a Lilac Shrub

Common lilac shrubs are very easy to transplant and propagate, with very little maintenance required over the entire lifecycle. As nitrogen may cause damage to the plant, Lilacs are typically unfertilized for the first several years of their life.

Lilac flowers typically bloom in the late spring and are best pruned just after the plant has finished blooming. Diseased or damaged parts of a lilac plant can be easily clipped without causing any further damage to the plant.

Purchase Wholesale Lilac Shrubs from our Michigan Tree Farm

Ready to get started with your own Lilac Plants? Cold Stream Farm sells wholesale and retail lilac shrubs with no minimum order quantity.  Contact us directly in Free Soil, Michigan, or place an order online for your lilac plants today.