Hairy Lilac 'BELLESENT' – a large shrub up to 4–5 m high, with a crown width of up to 3 m, characterized by a pyramidal and dense shape. Leaves are large, elongated-elliptic, slightly pointed, and covered with soft hairs; dark green and glossy on top, bluish-gray on the underside with a light fuzz along the veins. The shrub has a thick stem, making it more resistant to wind load.
Flowering begins in early June – about 2–3 weeks later than common lilac. Inflorescences are large and airy, spike length 10–25 cm, width 5–10 cm, with dense buds of a pink-lilac shade. Flowers are light coral-pink, small but abundant – up to 14 days of flowering with a strong aromatic scent. Thanks to the dense and prolonged flowering, 'BELLESENT' is perfect as a solitary plant and in living hedges.
For planting, a well-lit location with light partial shade is preferable; soil should be neutral or slightly acidic, fertile, moderately moist, but not wet. The shrub is frost-hardy (USDA 2) and easily adapts to urban conditions. To maintain a compact shape, regular pruning – thinning and crown shaping – is required. Propagation is done by green cuttings during flowering, as well as simple layering; seed propagation is used for breeding.
'BELLESENT' harmoniously combines with other ornamental shrubs – forsythias, spiraeas, roses, barberries, as well as with low coniferous plants and perennial herbaceous species. It can serve as a dust-, gas-, and wind-protection screen, especially valuable in urban landscapes due to its frost hardiness and resistance to pollution.
