Indian lilac with pink flowers, grown in the ground

Credit: Jim The photographer

Indian lilac with white flowers

Credit: Dinesh Valke

Pink Indian lilac

Credit: HQ Flower guide

Purple Indian lilac

Credit: F. Delventhal

Green leaves of the Indian lilac

Credit: F. & K. Starr

Indian lilac, Lagerstroemia indica

Scientific classification

Family

Lythraceae

Type

Lilac - Lagerstroemia

Species

Indian lilac - Lagerstroemia indica

Other names:Lagerstroemia pulchra, Murtughas indica, Lagerstroemia chinensis, Lagerstroemia elegans, Lagerstroemia indica f. alba, Lagerstroemia indica var. grafii, Lagerstroemia minor, Velaga globosa

Lagerstroemia indica, better known as Indian lilac, is one of the last plants to bloom in the garden. Beloved by bees and other insects, this shrub native to China and the Himalayas is also a feast for the eyes!

How can you recognize the Indian lilac (Lagerstroemia indica)?

The Indian lilac (Lagerstroemia indica) is a shrub that grows up to six meters tall. It has a bushy growth habit and a rounded crown of leaves.

The Indian lilac has multiple trunks and is highly branched. Its beige bark, mottled with gray, bears scars.

The opposite, oval leaves are pointed at the tips. Green in spring and summer, they turn orange in the fall before falling.

The plant is grown for its summer blooms. From July through September, panicles of flowers bloom. The crinkled petals can be pink, mauve, purple, white, or carmine, depending on the cultivar.

Globular capsules contain the seeds. They open to release them when ripe.

Is the Indian lilac (Lagerstroemia indica) toxic?

The Indian lilac, like summer Lilac (Lagerstroemia speciosa), is not considered toxic to humans or animals. However, ingesting large quantities of the leaves or flowers may pose a risk to dogs or cats.

Our maintenance tips

Pruning is not mandatory, but it promotes abundant flowering. Your Indian lilac blooms on the current year's growth. Therefore, severe pruning will not affect its flowering.

Watering

Your Lagerstroemia indica is more afraid of too much water than of forgetting. You should only water when the surface of the soil is two to three centimetres dry.

When you do water, do so generously. Use non-calcareous water, such as demineralized water or rainwater, always at room temperature.

If you use a planter or saucer, empty any standing water after each watering.

Repotting

Obtain a perforated pot. Make a drainage layer at the bottom with clay balls or gravel.

Cover with a mixture of potting soil and garden soil. The different varieties of Indian lilac like well-drained soil. If yours is heavy, add gravel or river sand to lighten it.

Plant your plant at Lagerstroemia indica and fill the pot with your substrate. Water for the first time to eliminate air bubbles and facilitate rooting.

Fertilization

To promote the growth of your Lagerstroemia indica, apply fertilizer in spring and summer.

Apply flowering plant fertilizer to stimulate flowering.

Prune

Use clean, sharp pruning shears.

Start by cutting away dead wood, suckers at the base, and twigs that are too thin or spindly.

Next, remove any branches that cross each other in the center of the shrub to open up the structure.

Finally, you can prune back the branches to stimulate flowering:

For young plants (that haven't reached their final size): prune back to the previous year's growth.
On older plants, cut the branches back by one-third.

Always prune at an angle, just above a bud, to encourage regrowth.

Plantation

Soak your Indian lilac to rehydrate the root ball.

Meanwhile, dig a hole twice the size of the root ball. Plant your Indian lilac. The rootball should be level with the soil. Fill in with a mixture of garden soil and universal potting compost. You can add fertilizer if your soil is poor.

Press down and water thoroughly to help the plant take root.

Cutting

Cutting is carried out during the strong growth phase, generally in spring and early summer.

To propagate your Indian lilac, use a T-shaped cutting.

Find a healthy shoot that is 10 to 15 cm long, free of flowers, and semi-woody—that is, one whose base is beginning to turn into hard wood while the tip remains flexible.

Using a clean, sharp tool, cut your cutting , leaving a small piece of the main branch at the base where the shoot is attached. It is this section of old wood that will allow the future roots to develop vigorously.

Fill a pot with drainage holes or a small pot with potting mix for seeds and cuttings. Make a small hole with your finger or a pen. Plant your Indian lilac. Moisten the potting mix.

Cuttings root better when kept warm and humid. Cover them with a clear plastic bag or a plastic bottle, or place them in a mini-greenhouse.

Ventilate for a few minutes each day and water the soil regularly to keep it moist.

Disease / Threat

Powdery mildew

Information

Lifecycle	Perennial
Foliage	Deciduous
Exposures	Sun Half-shade
Substrat	Humus soil
Planting methods	Open ground In pots In tubs
Categories	Shrub Flowery
Tags	Beginner Flowery
Origin	Southeast Asia
Hardiness (USDA)	8a (-12.2°C ≤ T° < -9.4°C)
Leaf color
Flower colors