Syringa vulgaris (Common Lilac)
Michael's Opinion
A shrub that everyone should be familiar with, the common lilac is a fragrant plant in the spring garden. Recent hybridisation has seen improvement in colours and flower structure with an endless variety seen in the French hybrids. This is a plant that will survive for generations in the garden and can be developed into a very architectural plant with careful pruning. Unchecked it can reach heights of 4 m.
Botanical Information
| Family | Oleaceae |
| Genus | Syringa |
| Species | vulgaris |
| Category | Woody |
| Type | Shrub (deciduous) |
| Pronunciation |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Zone | 3 - 7 |
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone | 1a - 6b |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Zone | H6 - H7 |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | -40 - (-15) |
| Temperature (°F) | -40 - 5 |
| Height | 4 m |
| Spread | 2 m |
| Growth | Medium |
| Flowering Period | May, June |
Description and Growing Information
| ID Characteristic | Flowers are lavender-purple and leaves are blue-green. It is one of the most fragrant of lilacs. Has an upright base shaped form. |
| Shape | Upright, vase-shaped. |
| Landscape | Flowers of only value, good for hedges, screens, the shrub border or in groupings. |
| Pests | Bacterial blight, leaf spots, leaf blights, ring spot virus, powdery mildew, leaf roll necrosis, lilac borer, caterpillars, leopard moth borer, giant hornet, and lilac leaf miner. |
| Notable Specimens | The A.M. Cuddy Gardens, Strathroy, Ontario, Canada. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Light-grey smooth bark which contains small, raised lenticels. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | Ovoid, plump, imbricate with 3 - 4 pairs of reddish brown scales and reddish brown in colour. |
| Leaf Description | Opposite, ovate or broad ovate, simple and are 5-12.5 cm long. Bluish green in colour. |
| Flower Description | Lilac flowers, showy, fragrant, flowers are borne in large terminal panicles and bloom in May. |
| Fruit Description | Capsules borne in large panicles and should be removed. |
| Colour Description | Foliage is blue-green and flowers are lavender purple. |
| Texture Description | Medium to coarse in leaf depending on age and size of plant; coarse in the winter. |
Photographs
A mature plant in flower in late spring in the A.M.Cuddy Garden, Strathroy, Ontario.
Syringa vulgaris 'Mme Lemoine', a double flowering white cultivar.
Syringa vulgaris 'Dappled Dawn'.
Syringa vulgaris 'Wedgwood Blue'.
Scanning electron microscope image of pollen grain.