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Charles Joly Lilac

Syringa vulgaris 'Charles Joly'

Regular price $4484
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Under $50 $9.99
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Plant Profile & Growing Essentials

Cold hardy, Flowering, Fragrant, Deer-resistant, Drought resistant, Hedge/Screen, and Attracts pollinators

Specifications

  • Botanical Name
    Syringa vulgaris 'Charles Joly'
  • Height
    10-12 ft
  • Width
    8-10 ft
  • Growing Zones
    3-7
  • Sunlight
    • Full sun
  • Growth Rate
    Moderate
  • Flower Color
    • Purple
    • Red
    • Pink
  • Leaf Color
    • Green
  • Pollinator Friendly
    Yes
  • Pollinator Required
    No
  • Bloom Period
    Late Spring
  • Fragrant
    Yes

Planting & Care Instructions

Where to Plant

  • Sunlight: Ensure your Charles Joly Lilac receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily to produce the best magenta double blooms. While it can survive in partial shade, the plant will likely become leggy, produce fewer flowers, and be more susceptible to powdery mildew.
  • Soil: These shrubs thrive in rich, humus-y soil that drains well and has a neutral to slightly alkaline pH. If you are dealing with heavy clay, amend the site with compost or raised planting berms, as lilacs hate having "wet feet" and need oxygen at their roots.

Watering Requirements

Keep the soil consistently moist during the first season to help the root system establish itself in your landscape. Once established, this lilac is moderately drought tolerant, though you should provide deep supplemental water during dry spells to prevent stress that can reduce next year's flower production.

Pruning Tips

Since Charles Joly blooms on old wood, you must prune immediately after the flowers fade in late spring. Simply remove the spent flower clusters to tidy the plant, and use the "one-third rule" on older shrubs by cutting the thickest, oldest canes down to the ground. This technique encourages fresh, vigorous growth from the base and keeps the plant from getting too woody.

Fertilizer Needs

Apply a balanced, general-purpose fertilizer or a layer of compost in early spring just as new growth begins to emerge. Avoid using high-nitrogen fertilizers late in the summer, as this encourages leafy growth that won't have time to harden off before winter and often comes at the expense of future blooms.

There are few things more majestic or memorable in the spring landscape than a blooming Lilac. Its astonishingly beautiful flowers and breathtaking sweet scent are unlike any other plant you'll ever own! Introducing the Charles Joly Lilac (Syringa vulgaris 'Charles Joly'), a darkly hued plum to purple blooming deciduous shrub with enchanting, scented flowers!

Lilacs have an aroma many people associate with the feeling of 'home', and the flowers will be right at home inside your house as well! The cut flowers will fill your house with that same magical scent! Its shiny purple buds open into double, magenta-plum flowers. The effect of the spring bloom is stunning, showing off the vivid coloration of its flowers.

This strong, long-lasting shrub has an upright shape and the heart-shaped leaves are a fine lush green for the remainder of the growing season. Your Charles Joly Lilac is a French Hybrid lilac that is considered the best in its color class! Butterflies, bees and hummingbirds love it, and you will too! The dense branching will attract songbirds looking for shelter and nesting sites as well!

Hardy throughout USDA growing zones 3 through 7, these are very adaptable and cold-hardy deciduous shrubs Growing to a 10-12 foot height and 8-10 foot spread at maturity, you'll be hard-pressed to miss seeing this unique color variation in bloom!

Planting and Application:

With its lovely spring accent, it would make a wonderful screen or border specimen for your yard. Screen off an area for a private reading or coffee nook and create yourself a peaceful area that shuts out the hectic world. Heighten the anticipation of a fun evening with a gracious welcome at the entrance to your entertainment area.

Create a solid screen by planting them six feet apart. Vary the spacing to ten feet apart for a loose, natural look. You'll measure from the center of one to the center of the next. Use these glorious blooming shrubs in a wide double row to establish a lovely allée.

Lilacs are a privacy screen with big benefits! Use a series of staggered rows to fill a wide, open area with magnificent spring blooms while blocking noise, prying eyes and slowing wind. You'll love the billowy, easy-breeze sense of privacy all season long. Create a mixed Lilac border for varied blooms and extended bloom times all spring!

Add a few to your cottage border, behind a perennial garden and are must-haves to include in the cutting garden for plenty of fresh materials. Don't miss out on the dazzling beauty and alluring scent of the outstanding garden accents. Don't go another spring without a prolific source of fabulous Lilac blooms.

You'll love this durable stunner in your landscape! Plant it in the ground, or keep it pruned up in large containers on your balcony or deck for many years! You'll enjoy pinpoint shade and privacy without sacrificing space.

  • Huge Bloom Panicles Attract Butterflies & Hummingbirds
  • Fragrant Wine-Plum-Red Blooms
  • Beloved by Butterflies and Beneficial Pollinators
  • Pretty, Heart-Shaped Leaves Densely Cover Multi-Stemmed Shrub
  • Hedges, Specimen, Containers & Privacy
  • Classic French Hybrid Lilac

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Charles Joly Lilac tolerates light shade, but its best bloom is in full sun. Easily grown in average, medium moist, well-drained soil. It will grow to 12 feet in height with a 10-foot spread and has a hardy nature and pleasant countenance. Provide moderate moisture consistently all growing season, but these shrubs can be adaptable to low moisture conditions once fully established. Mulch helps your plants stay cool and moist. Apply to a depth of three inches, then pull it away six inches from the stems. Apply supplemental water during times of extended drought.

Charles Joly is both disease and deer-resistant so you'll be saved the time and trouble of dealing with costly measures to keep it safe from harm. If you live with deer in your area, apply repellent spray on planting day. Deer are hungry and curious, and you want to train them to leave your plants alone. Reapply according to the label.

Air circulation is important for Lilacs, so find a breezy place for them to perform at their best. It's best to avoid low spots or heavily enclosed locations that trap airflow. Fertilize in early spring and again in mid-summer with Dr. Earth Organic and All Purpose Fertilizer, following directions on the package.

Don't miss a single bloom! Follow these easy Pruning steps for the best flowering:

Right after the flowers are done, it's time to prune. Don't delay, as Lilacs will produce next year's flowers on the new growth from this year. Snip the past flowers, then remove inward-heading branches and the thickest stems out at ground level. The goal is to let the interior of the shrub have plenty of sunlight and air circulation.

Once your Lilac plants have been growing for about 10 years, you'll want to start a regular schedule of renewal pruning and removal of suckers (when needed). After the blooms are fading, cut a few of the oldest, thickest branches right down to the ground each year. The younger, thinner branches remain and keep your plant vigorous and healthy.

Renewal pruning is great for your Lilac shrub. Removing the oldest growth lets the new branches take their turn. The youngest branches will produce the best bloom for you the following spring. Prune to keep an open interior to reduce the chances of powdery mildew.

  • Full Sun
  • Moderate Consistent Moisture
  • Loves Mulched Beds & Well-Drained Enriched Soil
  • Prune Immediately After Flowering Only
  • Low Maintenance, Cold Hardy & Versatile
  • Disease & Deer Resistant
  • Long-Lived, Extremely Easy to Grow & Useful and Versatile

Deeply-colored blooms and heavenly fragrance, the Charles Joly Lilac is sure to breathe life into your landscape. Demand for this special variety of French Hybrid Lilac is extremely high! Order yours at NatureHills.com now!

Frequently Asked Questions

How big do Charles Joly Lilacs get?

A Charles Joly Lilac bush can obtain a mature height of around 10 - 12 feet and a mature width of 8 - 10 feet. You can easily prune them to any size or shape you need with annual trimming.

How fast do Charles Joly Lilacs grow?

Charles Joly Lilacs have a medium growth rate and one might see 1 - 2 feet of new growth per year in optimal growing conditions.

Is Charles Joly Lilac a tree or a bush?

Charles Joly Lilacs are shrub-form plants that can be pruned into small tree-form specimens if desired. They are typically sold with their lower limbs intact and have multi-stemmed/multi-trunked growth naturally.

Which is the most fragrant Lilac?

Lilac's iconic scent lasts for a week or more after they've opened and some of the most fragrant (arguably) are the Beauty of Moscow, President Grevy, the yellow Primrose and the Sensation Lilac!

What shipping options do you offer?

NatureHills.com works closely with our growers and nursery professionals to ensure we ship when it is most appropriate for your area. Our goal is to deliver the hardiest plants by avoiding extreme high and low temperatures. Check out our shipping schedule for more information and to learn our wills and won'ts when it comes to shipping plants. Find your Charles Joly Lilac for sale here at NatureHills.com!

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