English Lilac Syringa vulgaris
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- si-RING-gah vul-GAIR-iss
- Description
-
Common lilac is a highly fragrant, spring-flowering shrub or small tree. There are hundreds of cultivars available including single and double flowers of various colors including white, cream, rose, magenta, pinkish-purple, lavender, and purple. The pungently sweet fragrance is delightful but can be overpowering to some asthmatics.
Most plants are grafted so suckers should be removed from rootstock to maintain the appearance and prevent unwanted spread. This plant grows rapidly to fill its space. It makes excellent cut flowers but after it's spectacular mid to late spring bloom, the shrub is of little interest in the landscape with its leggy branches and leaves that are susceptible to powdery mildew.
Lilac does best in cold winter climates as they require a long period of winter chill for the buds to mature. Late frost will sometimes kill the buds, so it is best sited in a protected location. It is tolerant of different soil types but does not do well in soil that is highly acidic or poorly drained.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Insect pests include scales, borers, leaf miners, thrips, and caterpillars. Powdery mildew can seriously affect the appearance of the foliage in the summer but does little permanent damage to the shrub. Prune the center of the plant the help with the airflow. Additional disease problems including blights, leaf spots, wilts, ringspot virus, and honey fungus.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Entrance Statement, Fescue Grass
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Agincourt Beauty'
- 'Josee'
- 'Ludwig Spaeth'
- 'Sensation'
- 'Agincourt Beauty'
- 'Agincourt Beauty', 'Josee', 'Ludwig Spaeth', 'Sensation'
- Tags:
















- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Agincourt Beauty'
- 'Josee'
- 'Ludwig Spaeth'
- 'Sensation'
- 'Agincourt Beauty'
- 'Agincourt Beauty', 'Josee', 'Ludwig Spaeth', 'Sensation'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Syringa
- Species:
- vulgaris
- Family:
- Oleaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- An essential oil obtained from the flowers can be used to make perfume. Green and brown dyes can be obtained from the leaves and a green dye from the flowers.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Balkan Peninsula
- Wildlife Value:
- Lilac attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. The nectar of the flowers is food for long-tongued bees, butterflies, and possibly moths. The caterpillars of several moths feed on the foliage.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Colorful
- Fragrance
- Edibility:
- Flowers can be eaten raw or folded into a batter and fried to make fritters.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 16 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Ascending
- Conical
- Erect
- Irregular
- Multi-stemmed
- Pyramidal
- Vase
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit is a smooth, flattened dehiscent capsule (3/4"), borne in large panicles at the terminal tips of branches. The capsules are initially green, but mature to brown and are divided into 2 segments. There are 4 seeds per capsule.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Cream/Tan
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Fragrant
- Good Cut
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Cross
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The inflorescence is a panicle of cymes, conical, usually grow in pairs, terminal, to 8 in. Flowers are numerous and may be lilac, blue, mauve, lavender, white, pink, and are highly fragrant. They have a tubular corolla with 4 spreading lobes, a short tubular calyx with 4 teeth, a pistil with a single style, and 2 inserted stamens.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Cordate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are heart-shaped, opposite, usually simple. They are acuminate, truncate, entire, dark grey-green to blue-green, and glabrous.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Bark Description:
- Light grey-brown bark has small raised lenticels and raised leaf scars.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Angular
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Stems are stout, angled, 4-sided on newer stems, lustrous brown, glabrous, small raised lenticels, longitudinally furrowed, and flaking on older stems, which are generally grey.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Patio
- Walkways
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Cutting Garden
- Edible Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Foundation Planting
- Hedge
- Small groups
- Small Tree
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Salt
- Problems:
- Frequent Disease Problems