Cost of Lilacs?

[windycitymom]

I want to add some lilacs to my yard this year, and a friend recommended the "Miss Kim" lilacs. What is a good price to pay for lilacs at the store? If you have Miss Kim lilacs, how do you like them? I want more of a lilac "bush" than a "tree".

 

[pam95]

We have a "Miss Kim" lilac bush. It's a very nice plant, and I love the smell!! We actually had one already in our yard when we bought our house. We transplanted it to another location, but it didn't survive the transplant. So, we replaced it. I don't remember how much it cost to buy another one, but I know it wasn't outrageous or anything. I'm not sure what your soil is like where you live. We have really horrible "clay" soil, and the Miss Kim that we have seems to be doing pretty well in spite of that. As far as size goes, I don't remember how big the Miss Kim gets (ours is still somewhat small after 3 years), but it is definitely a bush not a tree.

 

[clh2]

Sorry - I don't share your enthusiasm for lilacs. The fragrances wreak havoc with my allergies

That aside - we have purchased a number of shrubs to replace stuff that we pulled out planted by the former owner of our house.

You'll find a variety of prices. Cheapest places are "big box" stores - i.e. Home Depot, Menards etc. Prices are dependant on the size of pot the plant is in (We tend to like the 2-gallon size for shrubs.) And we find the qulality to be better at a nursery vs. the big box stores, although, your milage may vary. For the shrubs we've replaced - we are finding things in the $30 to $40 range. We pick up a couple a year.

If you want this to remain a shrub, learn how to properly prune it.

I still feel like we aren't done with snow and crud yet, despite the late date of April...so I am starting on what improvements we will be making this year. I really wish we would have yanked EVERYTHING out when we moved in.

 

[Colleen27]

Miss Kim is a smaller variety of lilac. Even left to run wild with no pruning it stays more of a bush than a tree. They're really lovely and easier to care for than most other varieties in my experience - my mom has two in her front yard that take very minimal pruning to remain about 5' tall and about the same across with a nice round shape.

As with any shrub/tree, the cost will vary a lot based on how large a plant you're looking for. The lilacs in my yard cost anywhere from <$10 for 18" bareroot plants to $40+ for 3-4' bushes in 5gal pots. I've been happiest with potted 2gal size shrubs from my local nursery, and they generally run $20-25 depending on variety.

 

[mrs.sammich]

We have a 'Miss Kim' in our yard as well. She's about 5'x5', a beautiful shrub. The flowers are smaller than the 'traditional' lilacs of years ago. There is another shrub lilac called 'Tinkerbelle' with pink flowers... I'm just saying is all..

 

[hipchickie]

I don't have this kind, but if I was going to recommend a lilac I would go for "josee", which is a reblooming lilac
I have heard miss kim is the most heavily scented though

 

[kim929]

I bought my Miss Kim at Walmart when they marked everything down, I paid 1.50 for it, it was in a 2 gal container. It's still small but that's ok, I can wait. I would agree with the 20-30 price range at a nursery.

 

[TaraPA]

I just paid $28.99 for a 2-gallon lilac (not Miss Kim) at my local garden center. I have 2 other lilacs, no idea what variety, but they are HUGE if you don't prune them. Mine are well over 7 feet tall & growing! One just bloomed yesterday, the other looks like it wil pop in a few days.