Description
Syringa – Lilac –
There are about 23, vigorous deciduous shrubs and small trees, within the olive family. There are over 1,500 named cultivars of S. vulgaris (common lilac). They are found naturally occurring in woodlands and scrubs, 2 from Southeastern Europe with the rest occurring in Northeastern Asia. They are grown for their often single or double petaled mid spring borne pyramidal or conical panicles of small, tubular, usually highly fragrant flowers, which may be white, pink, almost red to magenta, lilac (light purplish pink), or blue. They have opposite, smooth edged, lance shaped to rounded, usually ovate, rarely pinnate leaves and sometimes color well in fall.
Grow in a shrub border or as specimens in fertile, humus rich, well drained, neutral to alkaline soil in full sun or light shade. They will tolerate sandy gravelly soil that is slightly alkaline. Resents heavy clay or deep shade. Mulch regularly. Dead head newly planted lilacs before fruit form.
Prone to powdery mildew, dieback, leafroll viruses, MLO (mycoplasma-like organisms), root knot, nematode, verticillium wilt, witches broom, bacterial leaf spot, anthracnose, borers, scale insects and caterpillars.
S. reticulata – Japanese Tree Lilac – This upright shrub or broadly conical tree from Japan grows 30′ feet tall and 20′ feet wide. It forms an oval crown of reddish brown, shining bark which peels on young branches that carry lance shaped to ovate, pointed, dark green leaves to 6″ long. It bears sweetly fragrant creamy white flowers, with protruding yellow anthers, in panicles, to 8″ long, in summer. Makes good cut flowers
subsp. pekinensis – S. pekinensis – Peking Lilac – from Mongolia and Northern China it grows 15′ feet tall and wide with arching branches and dark green leaves to 3″ long.
Zones 3-8
