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. sweginzowii – This upright shrub from Southwestern China grows to 12′ feet tall and 8′ feet wide. From red-purple shoots it carries elliptic-oblong to lance shaped leaves, to 4″ long. In late spring and early summer it bears fragrant, pale pink to liac-pink or white flowers, in upright panicles, to 8″ long.
Zones 3-7
