Lilac – Syringa vulgaris
Description
General: Syringa vulgaris is an upright, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub that is native to Europe. It is suckering by nature and matures to 12-16′ tall and 8-10′ wide.
Leaves: Heart shaped leaves 2-5″ and dark green to blue green in color.
Flowers: Small, 4 lobbed flowers 1/3″, bloom in May on large conical panicles that are 6-8″. Color can range from white, rose, magenta, lavender to deep purple depending on variety. Flowers are very fragrant.
Bark: Gray
Attributes: What it lacks in the fall, a large specimen or hedge of lilacs makes up for in the spring, with abundant fragrant, beautiful flowers.
Culture
Hardiness: Zones 3- 7
Growing Conditions: Easy to grow in full sun for best flowering, but will tolerate some light shade. Average, medium moisture, well drained soils that are slightly acidic.
Maintenance: For best flowering, remove spent flowers as soon as possible to prevent it going to seed. They love to sucker and will colonize if not kept in check.
Transplanting: Best when plants are smaller, larger shrubs can become top heavy and require staking to keep upright.
Our Experience
Experience at Great Hill
Best flowering occurs in full sun. If air circulation is poor, when the humidity of the late summer hits, powdery mildew will set in and make the foliage look pretty bad. In time this can take a toll on unhealthy specimens and they can succumb to disease or lilac borer. Tall shrubs in moist areas can tend to be pushed over or break under heavy snow. Keep them pruned down under 8′ and in full sun with good air circulation and they will do fine.
2023
Lilac Bloom Data 2023
| Plant Name | Bud Break | Full Bloom | Bloom Drop |
|---|---|---|---|
| meyeri 'Palibin' | May 17 | May 25 | June 9 |
| patula 'Miss Kim' | No bloom- agressive prune | ||
| hyacinthiflora 'Esther Staley' | May 5 | May 18 | May 27 |
| vulgaris (double Orchid) | May 7 | May 16 | May 27 |
| vulgaris (White) | May 3 | May 18 | May 28 |
| vulgaris 'Yankee Doodle' | May 8 | May 18 | May 28 |
| vulgaris 'Ludwig Spaeth' | May 10 | May 18 | June 1 |
2022
Lilac Bloom Data 2022
| Plant Name | Bud Break | Full Bloom | Bloom Drop |
|---|---|---|---|
| meyeri 'Palibin' | May 16 | May 31 | June 8 |
| patula 'Miss Kim' | April 28 | May 16 | May 28 |
| hyacinthiflora 'Esther Staley' | April 20 | May 18 | May 29 |
| vulgaris (double Orchid) | May 9 | May 16 | May 25 |
| vulgaris (White) | May 9 | May 18 | May 29 |
| vulgaris 'Yankee Doodle' | May 9 | May 16 | May 30 |
| vulgaris 'Ludwig Spaeth' | May 11 | May 20 | May 31 |
2021
Lilac Bloom Data 2021
| Plant Name | Bud Break | Full Bloom | Bloom Drop |
|---|---|---|---|
| meyeri 'Palibin' | May 17 | May 24 | June 5 |
| patula 'Miss Kim' | April 26 | May 15 | May 28 |
| chinensis | May 1 | May 25 | June 4 |
| persica | April 28 | May 21 | May 28 |
| hyacinthiflora 'Esther Staley' | April 26 | May 19 | May 30 |
| vulgaris (double Orchid) | May 4 | May 20 | May 30 |
| vulgaris (White) | May 3 | may 20 | May 28 |
| vulgaris 'Yankee Doodle' | May 6 | May 20 | June 2 |
| vulgaris 'Ludwig Spaeth' | May 4 | May 23 | June 4 |
2020
Lilac Bloom Data 2020
| Plant Name | Bud Break | Full Bloom | Bloom Drop |
|---|---|---|---|
| meyeri 'Palibin' | May 13 | June 2 | June 10 |
| patula 'Miss Kim' | May 2 | May 22 | May 26 |
| chinensis | May 10 | June 2 | June 17 |
| persica | May 15 | May 26 | June 1 |
| hyacinthiflora 'Esther Staley' | May 3 | May 28 | June 10 |
| vulgaris (double Orchid) | April 23 | May 21 | June 13 |
| vulgaris (White) | April 21 | May 26 | June 9 |
| vulgaris 'Yankee Doodle' | April 21 | May 26 | June 6 |
| vulgaris 'Ludwig Spaeth' | April 21 | May 28 | June 9 |
2019
Lilac Bloom Data 2019
| Plant Name | Bud Break | Full Bloom | Bloom Drop |
|---|---|---|---|
| meyeri 'Palibin' | May 19 | June 6 | June 20 |
| patula 'Miss Kim' | May 2 | May 21 | June 6 |
| chinensis | May 23 | June 13 | June 21 |
| persica | May 3 | May 23 | June 4 |
| hyacinthiflora 'Esther Staley' | May 3 | May 23 | June 13 |
| vulgaris (double Orchid) | April 23 | May 21 | June 13 |
| vulgaris (White) | April 23 | May 21 | June 6 |
| vulgaris (double Pink) | May 3 | May 28 | June 10 |
2018
Lilac Bloom Data 2018
| Plant Name | Bud Break | Full Bloom | Bloom Drop |
|---|---|---|---|
| meyeri 'Palibin' | May 11 | May 31 | June 14 |
| patula 'Miss Kim' | May 22 | May 29 | June 5 |
| chinensis | May 18 | June 2 | June 17 |
| persica | April 29 | May 18 | June 2 |
| hyacinthiflora 'Esther Staley' | May 9 | May 18 | June 1 |
| vulgaris (double Orchid) | April 27 | May 15 | May 31 |
| vulgaris (White) | April 27 | May 15 | May 31 |
| vulgaris (double Pink) | May 9 | May 18 | June 1 |