Do Japanese Tree liacs do well in zone 3?

17 years ago

I am looking to fill a space in my yard with an ornamental tree that is not too wide. I am considering either a Japanese Tree Lilac or columnar crabapple. I am looking for comments on either of these trees, or suggestions for something better. I would like some thing that flowers if possible, and I already have 2 columnar mountain ash trees in my back yard.

I searched the previous posts here for Japanese tree lilacs, and I could only find one that Shazam said he/she has one here in Calgary - so I am very interested in any feedback in terms of how this tree does here since I want something that will survive.

This spot in my yard is only open since I had to cut down a 15 foot sensation maple tree that was decimated in a wind storm last summer. That tree was very full and lush, but 1/4 of the tree came down last summer. A large branch ripped away and opened the tree up all the way into the center of the trunk so the trunk was down to half the diameter in that spot then it was before. It looked really top heavy, with not a lot of support under the main canopy, and I was not willing to have the top of the tree come down into my neighbors yard, so we cut it down. It was extremely frustrating because it was just at a beautiful size that I could enjoy it. In fact I had a few neighbors also unhappy with me, but I asked them if the tree was in their yard would they be willing to let it stay and wait to see if/when it would fall? They all agreed that they would have taken it down too, but I am sure they will all look this year to see what I replace it with!

Any feeback would be appreciated.

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Comments (10)

shazam_z3
17 years ago
Yup, they grow fine here. Mine's doing good after all these years.

They don't get too big either, which is nice if you're short of space.
redpeony
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks! That was just what I wanted to hear.
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leftwood
17 years ago
Even though cultivars like Ivory Silk will bloom more, I prefer seed grown ones. They will have looser growth and the horizontal branch pattern will be more pronounced, but the tree shouldn't grow any wider. One of my trees tends to flower profusely every other year, with the inbetween seasons still producing flowers, but markedly.
greenlove
17 years ago
Haven't been on here for ages! Nice to read you all again. I have both a columnar crab and a Japanese Tree Lilac. I'm thinking of moving my JTL this year because I think it's too close to my evergreens. It hasn't been performing well at all. And the crab was actually a mistake - as I'd wanted a regular one. I didn't notice it's growth pattern until it was too late. Both are spectacular though, for small areas. It's just I've got big areas to fill.
kit_813
17 years ago
The Ivory silk cultivar grows exceptionnally well here (zone 2). It is the new fashion, and you can see one of them almost every two houses... The oldest ones I've seen are 10 years old though, most of them are around 5 years old or less. They were not very well known before that.
valleyrimgirl
17 years ago
We have the Ivory Silk Japanese Tree Lilac in our zone 2b yard. It was a well established mature tree before we bought our acreage 14 years ago. We love it! It is definitely 15'-20' tall.

This summer I will have to find a bright yet cloudy day to take a better picture of the tree. Here is the one from last summer, taken on a sunny day.

Brenda
explorer_mb
17 years ago
Very nice Brenda...

I have had one here too for quite afew years... though it only really started to flower nicely last year... after at least 8 to 10 years... it's nowhere near the size of yours... only aound 12 feet high and 5 feet wide.... they do have a lovely fragrance... but, I can only get a good view of it from my neighbour's side... it is lovely...

Rob
jetred
17 years ago
I've had two for 25 years, and one for ten years and they are doing very well, other than a bit of suckering.
rita_from_mb
17 years ago
I have this tree as well, don't have many blooms though. When and how long does it bloom for. I was also wondering when and how to prune.
ostrich
6 years ago
I am wondering if I can revive this thread please? Now that 10 years have gone by, how has this tree done for people? Specifically, I am wondering how wide Ivory Silk Tree Lilac gets in Zone 3 please (I am in Edmonton)? Thanks!