THE LILAC ZONE
2019 Update!
This past year has been somewhat of a roller coaster ride and unfortunately affected my lilac escapades - but I am happy to report that things have settled down and I am finally able to focus again on one of my passions in life! Nothing was done in regards to propagation attempts in the past year but during this time I was blessed to forge what is becoming more and more a great friendship with a very kind and fun individual that happens to know how to graft lilacs successfully. The prospect of being able to finally successfully propagate this sport is exciting to me, along with the capability to help preserve some lilac varieties that are arguably considered rare in the US right now. My buddy is up for helping me out and I already have some scions lined up for delivery this coming January, so the winter of 2019/2020 should prove to be an exciting one!
The 'Blanche Sweet' sport in full bloom
2020 Update!
I am excited to say that in mid-January, I finally managed to get everything aligned in order to have some scions of this sport grafted. My buddy reported that the scions got to him successfully. I really hope that the grafts take, as it will be great to have one or more individual plants that are generating blooms identical to the "sport". It takes at least 6-8 weeks before you can determine whether the grafting was successful. I'm sure time will pass by fast as it always does, but right now it can't go by fast enough!
***Spring Update***
My friend has reported that 3 grafts of the scions were successful! WAHOO!!! I am so excited to finally see some progress in propagating this sport and cannot wait to see these new plants. They are currently being well cared for in one of his greenhouses, and I plan on bringing them home at some point in the next year once they have become more hardy. I can't wait!
2018 Update!
Unfortunately, my attempts to produce new lilacs by grafting were not very successful by the fall of last year. Out of 20 lilacs, only 1 appeared to graft successfully and it wasn't one of the 'Blanche Sweet' sports. It dropped its leaves early in the fall and I am not going to know if it survived until later this spring when it will be time for it to leaf out again. It was very discouraging, but my mentor told me that I shouldn't be discouraged and should try again, as that is the only way that I will learn. Time got away from me this past winter and I didn't get things together in time to harvest scions, obtain rootstock and try again. I really do want to successfully propagate this lilac so I am going to be more intentional next winter and make another attempt. In the meantime, I am also going to attempt to root more softwood cuttings. A fellow lilac friend advised me of how he has learned to do it, which he claims is not difficult, so I am going to follow his instructions to see whether I am successful this time. I'll keep you posted on progress. Wish me luck!
2021 Update!
All 3 grafted specimens have continued to grow and are now in larger pots, one of which is now home with me. The next step is to propagate specimens on their own roots. I am so excited to have reached this next phase and am actively seeking out possible solutions to be able to do this. Fingers crossed!
Successful grafts of the 'Blanche Sweet' sport!!!
This bud mutation (also referred to as a 'sport') on the hyacinthiflora cultivar that we own called 'Blanche Sweet' bloomed for the first time in 2014. A fellow lilac aficionado advised me that if I thought the sport was remarkable enough, to mark the branch where this sport was generated to see if it would bloom the same again in 2015. If it produced similar blooms like this again from that same branch, then that would be an indication that it will likely produce blooms in this new way consistently. Lo and behold, it has bloomed a light pink each year since! In fact this year, it has produced more blooms than it ever has before (more than a dozen!) and from multiple branches on the stem!
Following the guidance of those far wiser than I when it comes to lilac knowledge, I have waited to see if this lilac will bloom like this for at least 3 years consistently before considering trying to propagate it. Now that it has proven to do that, I am pursuing the possibility of cultivating an entire lilac that would produce these light pink blooms only. I consider lilacs a great gift that God has given us. If I am successful in cultivating a whole new lilac, I plan to name it after my daughter, who I consider one of God's greatest gifts that I have ever been given!
None of this would have been possible without the opportunity I had this past winter to attend a grafting class. As part of the class, we had the opportunity to actually practice grafting hands-on. In anticipation of that, I took two scions (small hardwood growth) with me to graft onto a host plant. Grafting is actually not the preferred method for propagating a new plant because there is a risk that the host plant can take over if left unchecked, but occasionally there is no alternative method for reproducing a lilac, as some lilacs do not provide softwood cuttings that care to root easily. I have heard that you can mitigate the risk of this happening, however, by burying the graft deep enough in the ground that the grafted cultivar will eventually establish its own roots. As this sport originated from a cultivar that in my opinion grows aggressively, I am hopeful that grafting and then burying the graft will work. I will let you know soon if my grafting attempt of these sports worked. The grafts are currently outside in a nursery to get some sun. Hopefully further bud growth will be evident soon!
2022 Update!
I was surprised to see that one of the three grafted plants flowered for the first time this year! Most lilacs that flower early in greenhouses tend to have blooms that are somewhat lighter in color than is typically seen when blooming outdoors, so the color of bloom may not ultimately represent the true color when my introduction blooms outside. Nonetheless I think it is beautiful and befitting of being named after my daughter - and was so exciting to see! I have no plants on their own roots yet, but hopefully soon!
Pink buds of the 'Blanche Sweet' sport
2017 Update!
'Blanche Sweet' sport blooms pink for the 4th year in a row!
Check out the pictures above of the pale pink blossoms from branches that a major stem continues to produce on our 'Blanche Sweet'! This year it produced over 12 panicles!
Note the normal color of blooms of 'Blanche Sweet' to the left in the photo below, which is a chalky-blue. (The color of the blooms is contrasted nicely against a pink dogwood):