You know it’s spring when lilacs start to bloom. The fragrant purple flowers of lilacs are always worth the wait, even though you only get to witness them bloom for a couple of weeks. The longest time lilacs can show you their beautiful flowers is six weeks.
Lilacs are the harbinger of spring in the northern part of the US. The earliest month you can see lilacs is February, but usually, the month of May is when you’ll start seeing the abundant purple flowers of the lilac. They also bring in hummingbirds and butterflies, adding more color, life, and beauty to the garden.
But in the southern part of the US, lilacs are a rare beauty. Some gardeners even say that lilacs are not a thing in the south. Is the south region of the US really too hot for lilacs? Are there lilacs for zone 9?
Can lilacs grow in zone 9?
Lilacs are deciduous shrubs that are easy to grow and care for. They can grow up to 15 feet tall and spread up to 12 feet wide. They require 6 hours of full sun every day. When spring comes, lilacs will only bloom for two weeks, but the flowers will come back again in the next growing season.
They require a long period of winter chill to bloom with beautiful flowers in the spring. On average, lilacs require 2,000 chill hours. These growth requirements are not a problem in the northern part of the US. Lilacs grow best in USDA hardiness zones 3-7.
Lilacs are not very common in the southern region, first of all, because winter is short in zone 9. A 2,000 chill hour is just too much for zone 9 to provide. That is four times the number of chill hours that regions in the south receive in the winter.
Lilacs will not bloom in zone 9 if you plant varieties common in the northern part of the US. Secondly, zone 9 has a long and hot summer, which is unfavorable for lilacs. As with most plants, consistently hot days in the summer can threaten the beauty and even the life of your lilacs. Because of the humid summer in zone 9, powdery mildew is another problem you’ll encounter.
But don’t lose hope! If you choose the right cultivar or variety, you can still have lilacs in zone 9. Since chill hours and the hot summer are two things that can stop you from growing lilacs in the south, you can find low chill and heat-tolerant lilacs. There are lilac cultivars that are bred specifically for warmer climates.
Lilac varieties that grow well in zone 9
Lilacs for zone 9 exist. If you are someone who lives in zone 9, show people that the southern region of the US is not too hot to grow lilacs and that you only need low-chill and heat-tolerant cultivars. Just make sure that you follow the growth requirements for each cultivar to make sure that they will bloom in the spring.
1. Cutleaf lilac
Cutleaf lilac blooms fragrant, soft lavender-violet flowers in the late spring. This lilac is not only heat-tolerant but also mildew-resistant. Cutleaf lilac has dark green leaves that are beautiful in the summer. When autumn comes, these dark green leaves will turn yellow-green.
2. Excel lilac
If you’re looking for lilacs with low chilling requirements, go for Excel lilacs. This lilac is a deciduous shrub that can grow up to 10 feet tall. It blooms with fragrant, lilac-lavender flowers in mid-spring. The Excel lilac is an early flowering lilac, blooming flowers 7-10 days earlier than common lilacs.
3. Lavender lady
Warm winters are not a problem for lavender lady lilacs. This lilac variety will still bloom beautiful lilacs without having chill hours in the winter. Lavender Lady can grow up to 10 feet and spread up to 6 inches. Afternoon shade and moderate winter are also not a problem with lavender lady lilacs.
4. Angel White
Who said lilacs could only be violet? You can grow lilacs as white as snow with White Angel. This lilac variety blooms fragrant, pure white flowers in mid-May. Even without winter chilling, the flowers will still appear healthy and beautiful in the spring. The White Angel is the lilac for warm winter areas.
Can Lilacs Survive in Zone 9?: Final thoughts
Only a few lilacs bloom in zone 9. Still, witnessing the incredible sight of lilacs in the spring is possible in the southern part of the US. However, the low-chill lilac variety needs a little help to thrive in zone 9.
The plant needs regular irrigation during the hot, long summer days. To help the lilac enter dormancy in autumn, discontinue the watering. Prune the lilac every year after blooming and put fertilizer on it in early spring.
Provide the lilac with everything that it needs to grow, and for sure, you’ll be rewarded with fragrant and beautiful lilacs in May.
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