Common Lilac
Syringa vulgaris
ShrubAbout Common Lilac
Common Lilac is a beloved deciduous shrub renowned for its intensely fragrant, lavender to purple flower clusters in spring. Native to southeastern Europe, it has become a staple of gardens across temperate North America. Many cultivars offer white, pink, magenta, and bi-color flowers.
Quick Facts
How to Identify Common Lilac
- Large, pyramidal clusters of tubular, four-petaled flowers
- Heart-shaped, smooth, medium-green leaves in opposite pairs
- Gray-brown bark that becomes furrowed and peeling with age
- Multi-stemmed, upright, vase-shaped habit
- Strong, sweet fragrance during bloom in mid-to-late spring
Care Guide
- Prune immediately after flowering; blooms form on old wood
- Remove spent flower clusters to improve next year's bloom
- Thin oldest stems to the ground every few years to rejuvenate
- Water at the base to keep foliage dry and reduce powdery mildew
- Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, which promote leaves over flowers
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