Lilac tree Syringa reticulata subsp. reticulata 'Ivory Silk'

'Ivory Silk' is just one of the many cultivars of Syringa reticulata.  The cultivars vary in looks and may have very different traits. The award-winning Japanese Tree Lilac is a very large shrub or small tree, reaching a height of about 20 to 30 feet with a 15-foot-spread, with huge clusters of creamy white flowers in early summer. Its fragrance is more suggestive of privet than of traditional spring-blooming Syringa vulgaris.  With spreading branches and an oval to rounded crown, It has a Christmas tree shape, wider at the base and narrower at the top.   Although adaptable to soil pH, it prefers soil in a neutral range, slightly acidic to slightly alkaline.   It can be planted as a specimen, street tree, in small groups, or in a border.

It is highly resistant to mildew when planted in full sun and to lilac borer when watered during dry spells.

Pruning can be accomplished immediately after flowering.  Regular annual pruning will rejuvenate its growth and encourage blooming and will also help maintain a more shrubby habit.  

Somewhat drought tolerant as it ages, young trees should be watered weekly to help to establish a strong root system.  Mulching around the base, out to the drip line will help to retain the water provided.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  Lilac borers are occasional pests.  Although typically free of serious diseases, powdery mildew can occur in shady areas.  Has some susceptible to Verticillium wilt, bacterial blight, leaf blotch and fungi.