lilacs

The fragrant clusters of flowers produced by lilac trees or bushes offer gardeners proof that spring has arrived. A native of Eastern Europe and Asia, lilacs grow in USDA hardiness zones 2 to 7. The colonists brought them to America in the 17th century. The trees thrive for decades with proper care, offering gardens and landscapes plenty of color and fragrance in the spring.

Various experts place the Lilacs’ origins in Asia, North Africa, southeast Europe, and the Himalayas. One of the first Common Lilacs, Syringa vulgaris, is believed to have been discovered by a plant researcher in Banat, Romania, where they were growing in the mountains on natural limestone, then, taken to France where it gained huge popularity in Paris.

The genus Syringa is named after Syrinx, an Arcadian virgin nymph who was turned into water-reeds in a desperate attempt to flee the lusty woodland god, Pan. Finding himself clutching only reeds rather than the beautiful naiad, Pan sighed and his breath produced a sound from the reeds, which he subsequently bound together to form the first panpipes; today, the nymph Syrinx has spawned the genus classifying plants whose stems can be used to make tubes. Although Lilac twigs are not hollow, they have a soft inner pulp that is easily hollowed out to make flutes or pipe stems.

Lilacs come in 15 color varieties: Purple and white, plus 13 different shades of purples and crèmes.

Typical vase life for Lilacs is only two to three days, but with proper handling, these flowers can last up to 10 days.

Description

Lilac trees range from 5 to 30 feet tall. The trees thrive in sunny locations protected from cold, strong winds. The trees sport pale green leaves with clusters of blossoms appearing in the spring. Flowering varies between mid-spring to early summer and, unfortunately, normally only lasts about three weeks or so, depending on the species and the weather (the warmer the spring, the earlier the blooms). Blossoms come in shades of purple, lavender, blue, pink, white or magenta, depending on the variety. Most of the blossoms produce a strong fragrance that smells best on a warm, sunny afternoon when the flowers open up completely. Shades vary depending on weather (hot versus cool and dry versus wet), year, soil, environment and overall location differences. With the exception of the Manchurian lilac, most lilac trees offer little fall interest.

Lilacs can vary in shape and/or form. Some may be rounded, vase-like, tall and spreading, tall and straight or a combination of these shapes. Lilacs have pyramidal clusters of blossoms with both single and double varieties - all with glossy green leaves.

Varieties

More than 200 lilac cultivars exist, giving gardeners plenty to choose from. The European common lilac (Syringa vulgaris), also known as the old-fashioned lilac, features purple or white flowers on a hardy, drought-tolerant tree. For year-round interest, the Manchurian lilac (Syringa patula) offers fragrant, purplish-blue flowers. In the fall, the Manchurian lilac’s leaves turn reddish-brown. For early-blooming lilacs, Hyacinthiflora lilacs (S. vulgaris x S. oblata) do well in areas where frost seldom occurs in May. The fragrant flowers bloom 7 to 14 days earlier than most other lilacs.

Conditions

Lilac trees grow best with at least six hours of sun per day. They thrive if given protection from strong winds; otherwise, the flower buds may get damaged in high winds, reducing the number of blooms appearing on the tree. Some gardeners use the trees as single specimens. Others use the trees to create hedges planted 18 to 24 inches apart. A layer of mulch helps conserve moisture.

Care

During the months of June and July, lilac trees grow better with an extra inch of water each week since this helps set the flower buds for the following year. Once August arrives, the watering may slow down, since the plant needs to harden off for the winter. New lilac trees require no pruning during the first five years or until they reach 6 to 8 feet tall. After that, the trees benefit from a pruning after the flowers fade.

Pests

Lilac borers cause problems on lilac trees east of the Rocky Mountains. Borers are moths that use lilac trunks and branches to lay their eggs in late spring. One way to avoid borers and other pests involves providing the tree with adequate watering and soil nutrients. This helps reduce stress on the tree, making it less susceptible to pests.

1. Lilacs only flower for about three weeks in the spring.
2. Some varieties, like the Josee or the Boomerang, will bloom several times during the year.
3. Thomas Jefferson loved lilacs — and wrote about them in his gardening book.
4. Lilacs were grown in America's first botanical gardens. Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew them in their gardens. Lilac bushes can live for hundreds of years, so who knows, a bush planted way back when may actually still be around.
5. Some varieties of lilac bushes can survive temperatures down to -60°F.
6. Want a big lilac bush? Prune them less often. (But make sure to trim them at least once a year.) You prune Lilacs immediately after the enjoyment of the fragrant blossoms in the late Spring/early Summer.
7. In addition to the cultivated species of Lilacs, there are many more hybrids, and over 1,000 total varieties of Lilac bushes (along with a few varieties of actual trees).
8. Scientific name: Syringa vulgaris (sir-IN-ga vul-GAH-ris)
9. Lilacs belong to the olive family, Oleaceae.
10. Syringa (Lilac) is a genus of about 20 – 25 cultivated species of flowering plants in the olive family (Oleaceae).
11. Syringa is the proper generic name of the Lilac, the common variety being syringa vulgaris.
12. The flowers are edible.
13. In the language of flowers, purple lilacs are the symbol of first love.
14. White lilacs symbolize youthful innocence.
15. In Greece, Lebanon and Cyrus, the lilac is a symbol of Easter
16. The lilac is the state flower of New Hampshire, USA
17. There are annual lilac festivals in North America cities.
18. Aside from Roses, there is no flower as beautiful and aromatic as Lilacs. Of the two, Lilacs have a stronger, more intoxicating scent which carries quite a distance.
19. The term “Lilac tree” can be mistakenly attached to any of the many varieties of Lilac bushes. Lilac shrubs/bushes grow from six to twenty feet tall. True Lilac trees, like the Peking tree Lilac and the Japanese tree Lilac, both from Asia, may reach heights over 30 feet.
20. It is the cultivar and species of Lilac bush which affects the fragrance, NOT the flower’s color.
21. Although Lilacs display flowers among the most delicate of the ornamentals, the plants are among the hardiest.
22. Lilacs make excellent cut flowers. Flowers should be harvested as soon as they start to open. They are often used to add colour, texture and fragrance to arrangements.
23. They are especially popular in hand- tied bridal bouquets.
24. The purple lilacs have the strongest scent compared to other colours.
25. Lilacs are commonly used in soaps, perfumes and other cosmetics.
26. Wood from the lilac tree is among the densest and can be used to make musical instruments, knife handles and more.
27. The lilac is known as the "Queen of Shrubs". Its beauty certainly warrants this title.
28. The name Lilac: comes from the Persian word "lilaq", which means flower.
29. This story is from Greek mythology: It's about a beautiful nymph named Syringa (lilac's botanical name). "Pan", the god of the forests and fields, was captivated by Syringa's beauty. Pan chased Syringa through the forests. Syringa was frightened by Pan's affections. Syringa escaped Pan by turning herself into a lilac bush.
30. Westminster Abbey was decked out with Lilacs and other types of flowering shrubs, such as azaleas, for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in April 2011.
31. The most well-known grown Lilac is the pure white ‘Madamde Florent Stepman’, which was named after the wife of the first person to grow it.

Daffodils

Kingdom: Plantae

Division: Magnoliophyta

Class: Lilliopsida

Order: Liliales

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Genus: Narcissus

Daffodils, the flowers symbolizing friendship, are some of the most popular flowers exclusively due to their unmatched beauty. Daffodils belong to the genus Narcissus. Daffodil flowers have a trumpet-shaped structure set against a star-shaped background. All Daffodils have a corona in the center that looks like a trumpet and a ring of petals all around. The natural Daffodil is colored golden yellow all over while the trumpet may often appear in a contrasting color. In addition to the species, the Daffodil Data Bank lists over 13,000 hybrids. Generally, Daffodils are yellow, and range from yellow-and-white, yellow-and-orange, white-and-orange, pink, and lime-green.

Often the trumpet is in a contrasting color from the background. The name Daffodils includes the cluster-flowered yellow Jonquils and the White Narcissi , as well as the include as the more common trumpet shaped flowers (right), members of the genus Narcissus.

While the daffodil’s primary symbolism is that of new beginnings, rebirth and the coming of spring, it has many others. Some of the most common meanings for the daffodil flower are:

• Creativity
• Inspiration
• Renewal and Vitality
• Awareness and Inner Reflection
• Memory
• Forgiveness

Symbolism of the Daffodil Flower

The daffodil has similar uplifting meanings across cultures, probably because this bright flower appears as the cold, dark days of winter wane and the warm rays of spring appear.

• China: The daffodil symbolizes good fortune in the Chinese culture. In fact, it is so esteemed for its ability to bring forth positive things that it is the official symbol of the Chinese New year.
• Japan: To the Japanese people, the daffodil means mirth and joyousness.
• France: In France, the daffodil is a sign of hope.
• Wales: A Welsh legend claims that the person to find the first daffodil bloom will be blessed with more gold than silver in the upcoming year. It is the National Flower of Wales. It’s bloom coincides with St. David’s Day, a celebration for the patron saint of Wales. Some associate the daffodil’s faithful rebloom with the David’s faithfulness to his people.
• Arabian Countries: The Arabians believe the daffodil flower was an aphrodisiac and cure for baldness.
• Medieval Europe: The medieval Europeans believed that if your gaze caused a daffodil to droop it was an omen of impending death.
• United States: In the United States, the daffodil is the official symbol for the American Cancer Association, symbolizing hope for a cure. It is also the flower for the month of March and the symbol of the 10th wedding anniversary.

The Latin name for daffodil is Narcissus. It is believed to be named after the son of the river god from Greek mythology. Narcissus was celebrated for his beauty, but he was arrogant. The goddess Nemesis noticed this and lured him to a pool where he fell in love with his own reflection.

Some sources say while he was staring at his reflection nymphs transformed him into a narcissus flower to get revenge for how he treated them. Others think he drowned trying to capture his reflection, and the flowers growing along the riverbed were named after him. Some even liken the nodding heads of daffodil flowers to Narcissus bending down and gazing at his reflection.

The earliest known reference to Daffodils can be found in the 6th century A.D. writings of the Prophet Mohammed.

In England, daffodils are also known as lent lilies or lenten lilies as they typically bloom between Ash Wednesday and Easter. A.E. Housman, an English scholar and poet, even wrote a poem entitled “The Lent Lily” about this phenomenon.

And there’s the windflower chilly

With all the winds at play,

And there’s the Lenten lily

That has not long to stay

And dies on Easter day.

William Wordsworth, an English romantic poet, also references daffodils in his poem “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”, painting a picture of a hill full of bright, dancing blooms.

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o’er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Where climate is moderate, Daffodils flourish among the first spring buds. Daffodils produce trumpet shaped flowers on a slender stalk raised above the foliage. These striking flowers range from miniature 2-inch plants with ½-inch blooms to 2-foot plants with 5-inch blooms. They include the paperwhite narcissus, a popular holiday plant. Daffodils often bloom in clusters. Daffodils are native mainly to the Mediterranean region, in particular to the Iberian Peninsula, as well as Northern Africa and the Middle East. Grown extensively by the ancient Greeks and the Romans, Daffodils nevertheless became a forgotten flower until about 1600 and even in 1860, there were fewer than 350 cultivated hybrids. Around 1629, a group of Englishmen took the Daffodil out of the weeds and put it into the garden. Daffodils were in favor again.

Miniature Daffodils

Daffodils come in all sizes, from 5-inch blooms on 2-foot stems to half-inch flowers on 2-inch stems. Largely for show purposes or for guidance in gardening, certain species and named cultivars have been determined by the American Daffodil Society to be miniatures and must compete by themselves in Daffodil shows.

Difference between Daffodils and Narcissus

There is literally no difference between the Daffodils and Narcissus. The two words are synonymous. Narcissus is the Latin or botanical name for those commonly called daffodils and Daffodil is the common name for all members of the genus Narcissus.

Meaningful Botanical Characteristics of the Daffodil Flower

The bulb of the daffodil is poisonous, limiting its use for natural or herbal remedies.

• Narcissus Plaster: A plaster made from the bulbs of the narcissus plant is used to relieve the pain associated with arthritis, wounds, burns and strains.

• Traditional Medicine: Research on the use of the narcissus plant for treating Alzheimer’s disease is currently underway.
• Herbal Remedies: Daffodil is thought to treat asthma, colds and whooping cough and to induce vomiting, but caution is advised, as daffodil can be a dangerous remedy.
• Fragrance: Essential oils made from the narcissus plant are sometimes used to promote relaxation and reduce stress, but caution must be exercised as too much oil can cause headaches and vomiting. Daffodil oil can be used in crafts or making potpourri. It is also used in perfumes and cosmetics.

Growing Daffodils

Daffodils grow perennially from bulbs. In temperate climates they flower among the earliest blooms in spring. Daffodils often grow in large clusters, covering lawns and even entire hillsides with yellow.

Depth, as a general rule, needs to be thrice the height. This means large bulbs should have a depth of 6 to 8 inches, a medium size 3-6 inches and a smaller size 2-3 inches. Always remember that the load of soil proves helpful in protecting the bulbs from breaking too easily and in keeping them upright for a longer duration.

If this fact is ignored and enough depth is not given, the Daffodil will bend down very soon. Though Daffodil blooms will come in bigger clumps, the bulbs and flowers will be scant.

Steps to growing Daffodils.

• Choose a well-drained, sunny place, with a slightly acidic soil.
• Plant your Daffodils so that their top (pointed end) is at least two times as deep as the bulb is high (top of a 2" bulb is 4" deep).
• Plant bulbs deeper in sandy soil than in clay.
• High-nitrogen fertilizers should be avoided.
• Daffodils need lots of water while they are growing.
• After blooming, never cut the foliage until it begins to turn yellow (usually late May or June).
• This is then the time to dig them. Wash the bulbs thoroughly and let them dry completely (at least a week).
• Put them in onion sacks (or panty hose) and hang them in the coolest place you can find until they're ready to plant. Good air circulation will keep the storage rot at a minimum.

Daffodil Plant Care

• Like most perennials, Daffodils will do well with about 1 inch of water per week while they are actively growing and blooming - from March to May.
• Mulch can be tremendously helpful for Daffodils to conserve moisture.
• The best thing you can do for your Daffodil bulbs is to provide them rich, well-drained soil with lots of organic matter in it.
• Most organic bulb fertilizers can be placed right into the planting hole because they're very gentle and non-burning.
• Since a Daffodil is a perennial, every 5 to 10 years, divide the clumps of bulbs in early summer.