Lilac breeding and breeders

Although Dobele is known as the lilac mecca, lilac hybridization was relatively rare until 1870, while active lilac patenting in Latvia began only 200 years ago.

In 1770, the English botanist Richard Weston isolated two varieties of the common lilac: Syringa vulgaris var alba (with white flowers) and Syringa vulgaris var purpurea (with purple flowers), which later became known as 'Marlyensis'. In nurseries, lilacs were propagated by seeds, which were formed as a result of uncontrolled free pollination. The best of these hybrids were isolated and given names. The best-known varieties of this period are 'Charles X' with simple purple flowers. In 1843, the variety 'Azurea Plena' with small blue double flowers was isolated, in 1874, 'Macrostachia' with pale pink simple flowers was isolated, in 1879, 'Marie Legraye' with simple white flowers, in 1887 - 'Lilarosa' with simple pale purple flowers, in 1888, 'Lucie Baltet' with simple pale pink flowers.

The greatest contribution to lilac breeding in the second half of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century was made by the Lemoine nursery, where the Lemoine family was engaged in breeding and introduction for several generations. The Frenchman Victor Lemoine (1823-1911) was the founder of the nursery and the first lilac breeder. The nursery was established in 1849, but he began breeding lilacs only at the age of 49. He saw the first results of his work in 1876, when the first three hybrids bloomed. Victor Lemoine's son Émile Lemoine (1862 - 1943) continued the work begun by his father. In collaboration with his father, who carried out hybridization, 67 varieties were created by 1900. From 1912 to 1933, Émile Lemoine created another 62 varieties. The total contribution of the Lemoine Nursery over 71 years was 214 varieties of lilac. Thanks to the persistent work of Victor Lemoine, today you can find various varieties of lilac, and the term French lilac refers to all lilacs that have double flowers, regardless of their variety. V. Lemoine created such varieties as 'Michel Buchner,' 'President Grevy', 'Condorcet', 'Leon Simon', 'Emile Lemoine', 'Mme Lemoine'.

Active planting and breeding of lilac varieties in Latvia began only at the end of the 19th century. Already in 1870, the most beautiful varieties of Lemoine lilacs could be purchased at the gardening shop of Christian Wilhelm Schoch in Salaspils. The catalogue of HV Schoch, published in Riga in 1885, included the varieties 'Carls ruhensis', 'Charles X', 'Dr.Lindley', 'Prince Massarat', 'Rubra de Marly', 'Valentiana'. The first lilac garden was developed in Dobele, when the pastor and ethnographer August Bīlenštein created a park of rare plant species, where some lilac varieties could also be found. One of the varieties from his collection, which also grows in the lilac garden of the Horticultural Institute, is 'President Grevy'.

By the 20th century, intensive lilac breeding and hybridization began in Latvia. The three most important Latvian breeders are Pēteris Upītis, Laimonis Kārkliņu and Sarmītis Strautiņu, whose patented lilac varieties can be seen in the lilac garden. You can learn about each of the breeders, their lives and contributions to horticulture in the subsections dedicated to breeders.