How to Care for a Japanese Lilac Tree

Lilac flowers are used in cut floral displays.

A Japanese lilac tree (Syringa reticulate) is small tree, growing only to 25 feet tall and wide. This tree bears panicles of flowers in early summer that are similar to those on a lilac bush. Deep green leaves cover this tree in the spring and summer, falling off in the autumn to reveal the many branches. The flowers of the Japanese lilac tree tend to be smaller and the color range is more limited than that of the blooming lilac bush, though just as fragrant. Proper care of the Japanese lilac tree will assure the tree lives up to 100 years.

Things You'll Need

• Windbreak
• 5-10-10 fertilizer
• Soil pH test kit
• Pruning shears
• Mulch

Instructions

1. Find a location where your Japanese lilac tree will receive full sun in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 3 through 7. An important part of caring for your lilac tree is assuring it has the growing conditions it needs. Japanese lilac trees thrive in full sun and well-drained, organic-rich soil.

2. Plant your Japanese lilac tree near a windbreak to protect it from strong winds. The wood of this tree is soft and is easily damaged by strong winds. This will cause your tree to cease blooming as it expends its energy recovering from the wind damage.

3. Check the pH level of your soil with a store-bought test kit. Japanese lilac trees prefer an alkaline soil, or a soil pH above 7.0. Add lime to the soil if necessary.

4. Feed your Japanese lilac tree with a 5-10-10 fertilizer in the spring when the first leaves emerge. Avoid fertilizers with a high nitrogen content as this will cause the tree to focus on leaf production at the expense of flowers.

5. Water your Japanese lilac tree when the first inch of soil is dry. These trees are mildly drought tolerant but perform better in moist but well-drained soil.

6. Prune your Japanese lilac tree with pruning shears lightly once the flowers have faded. Remove any dead or damaged branches. Do not prune severely as this may affect flower production the following year.

7. Spread a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch around but not touching your Japanese lilac tree to prevent the soil from drying out and retard the growth of weeds. Japanese lilac trees have a shallow root system. The mulch will also regulate soil temperatures and keep the roots healthy.

References

• About Lilacs: Japanese Lilac Tree
• North Dakota State University: Japanese Tree Lilac
• University of Connecticut: Japanese Tree Lilac
• Farmington Gardens: Lilacs

Resources

• United States Department of Agriculture Hardiness Zones
• Iowa State University Extension: How to Change Your Soil's pH