Huge blooms, wonderful scent.
Credit: Wally Patrick
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EmailBotanical name: Syringa
Plant type: Shrub
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3
Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Sun
Soil type: Any
Soil pH: Neutral to Slightly Alkaline
Flower color: Red, Pink, Yellow, Blue, Purple, White
Who doesn't love lilacs? The ideal lilac shrub has about 10 canes and produces flowers at eye-level—all the better to enjoy that sweet, haunting fragrance.
Lilacs do come in seven colors but most are familiar with the common lilac, Syringa vulgaris, which blooms in the northern states for 2 weeks in late May. However, there are early-, mid-, and late-season lilacs, which, when grown together, ensure a steady bloom for at least 6 weeks.
Lilacs are hardy, easy to grow, and low maintenance. They can grow from 5 to 15 feet tall, depending on the variety. The fragrant flowers are good for cutting and attractive to butterflies.
Lilac Pictures
Click slideshow below to enjoy 7 lovely lilac pictures taken by our Almanac readers!
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Planting
- Grow lilacs in fertile, humus-rich, well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil (at a pH near 7.0). If your soil is in poor condition, add compost to enrich.
- Select a site where your lilac will get full sun—at least 6 hours. If lilacs don't get enough sun, they will not bloom well.
- Make sure the site drains well. Lilacs don't like wet feet and will not bloom with too much water.
- Plant in either spring or fall, although the latter is preferred.
- If you're lucky, a friend will give you a sucker, or offshoot, of the root system of one of his plants. Your sucker will look pathetic at first but just dig a hole, backfill it with soil, and stick the sucker in. Then water and wait. In 4 or 5 years, you'll be rewarded with huge, fragrant blossoms.
- Transplanting lilacs from a nursery is also easy. If it's container-grown, spread out the roots as you settle the plant into the ground; if it's balled or burlapped, gentle remove it and any rope before filling in the hole. Water and wait.
- Space multiple lilac shrubs 5 to 15 feet apart, depending on the variety.
Care
- Each spring, apply a layer of compost under the plant, followed by mulch to retain moisture and control weeds.
- Water during the summer if rainfall is less than 1 inch per week.
- Lilacs won't bloom if they're overfertilized. They can handle a handful of 10-10-10 in late winter, but no more.
- After your lilac bush has finished blooming, spread some lime and well-rotted manure around the base. Trim the bush to shape it, and remove suckers at the same time.
Pruning Lilacs
- Lilacs bloom on old wood, so it's critical to prune in the spring right after they bloom. If you prune later in the summer, you may be removing the wood. Here's a tip: If your lilac flower clusters are getting smaller, time to prune!
- Every year after bloom, remove any dead wood. Prune out the oldest canes (down to the ground). Remove the small suckers. Cut back weak branches to a strong shoot. Cut back tall canes to eye height.
- If your lilac is old and in really bad shape, remove one-third of the oldest canes (down to the ground) in year one, half of the remaining old wood in year two, and the rest of the old wood in year three. Then, following a normal pruning program (as mentioned in above point).
- Another option for an old lilac is to chop the whole thing back to about 6 or 8 inches high. It sounds drastic, but lilacs are very hardy. The downside to this option is that it takes a few years to grow back. The upside is less work and more reward, as the lilac will grow back bursting with blooms.
Pests
- Prone to attack by slugs and snails.
- Powder white mildew may appear after a summer of hot, humid weather. It may be unsightly, but it does no harm. Ignore it.
Recommended Varieties
The most common and fragrant lilacs are of the S. vulgaris variety:
- For early bloom, try 'Charles Joly', a double magneta.
- Mid-season lilacs include 'Monge', a dark reddish purple, and 'Firmament', a fine blue.
- Late-season beauties include 'Miss Canada', a reddishpink, and 'Donald Wyman', a single purple.
Although common lilacs love cold weather, a few thrive as south as Zone 9, among them the cutleaf lilac, a fragrant pale lavender. Syringa patula 'Miss Kim' is a graceful shrub with pale lilac-blue flowers that fade to white.
Special Features
- Attracts Butterflies
Wit & Wisdom
- To improve the flowering of lilacs, keep the grass from growing around them. A 16- to 24-inch circle of landscape cloth placed around the bushes and covered with bark or stone will keep the grass down.
- Force a winter bouquet from cut branches of lilac. Bruise the cut ends and set them in water. Spray the branches frequently. Keep them in a cool place until they bloom, then move to a warmer area for display.
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Poet Walt Whitman thought of lilacs when Abraham Lincoln died:
"When lilacs last in the dooryard bloom'd . . . I mourn'd, and yet hall mourn with ever-returning spring."
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Comments
Though NO plant is truly
Though NO plant is truly deer-resistant, lilacs fall into the "Seldom Severely Damaged" camp so they're a good choice. As far as a fence goes: Deer will usually chose a different plant to eat, however, all bets are off in a very severe winter so it depends on your climate.
no leaves
my lilac bush lost all its leaves. Is it ok
You didn't mention where
You didn't mention where you're from, but lilacs will drop leaves in the fall and leaf out in the spring. This is normal.
living in texas
Hi, i live in azle texas, i have a northern lilac bush that looks fine, but has not bloomed, this is the 3 year. when can i expect it to bloom, or is it not going to do to the fact that this is really a plant for the northern United States?
Northern lilacs need a long
Northern lilacs need a long period of winter chill in order to bloom well. Your area may not have enough cold days.
There are some lilac varieties that may bloom in Texas. ‘Blue Skies', ’Angel White’, 'Lavender Lady', ‘Superba’ and ‘Miss Kim’ are just a few. Search for low-chill lilacs to find mail-order sources.
Dwarf Tinkerbell lilac
I ordered one of these plants, received it about a month ago (mid October). It has two shoots off the main stem, each with two leaves and tiny buds in the "joint" It shows no sign of preparing to bloom...it's in a container, watered from the base, medium sun. How long before I'll see signs of blooms?
Tinkerbelle lilac
The 'Tinkerbelle' lilac is bred to be hardy from Zones 3 to 7. It blooms in mid- to late spring. Although a dwarf, it reaches about 4 to 6 feet high at maturity, with a similar width. If you are planning to wait a few years before planting the lilac in your yard, make sure that you provide a large container for the growing lilac.
What year the lilac will start to bloom will depend on the age of the plant, as well as other factors, such as climate, cultural conditions (soil, light, water, temperature), pests/diseases, etc. You might ask the nursery from which you ordered the lilac as to what age the plant was when it was sent in October, and if they expect it to bloom starting next spring, or if it needs to age a year or so before it is ready to flower. Some lilacs will not start blooming until they are about 3 to 8 years old.
winter storing
I bought 10 close out lilac of all kinds little kim,charles joly,don wyman and more can I leave them in the pots and outside with just some mulch around them ? Our what is the best way to keep them till I can plabt them ?
Leave the lilacs outside.
Leave the lilacs outside. Depending how severe your winters are you may need to add some mulch around the pots. You can also dig holes or a trench and put the pots in the ground. Cover with soil and let go dormant. In the spring you can remove the pots and plant the lilacs in permanent spots.
Syringa plant indoors for winter.
I have a new lilac plant and I have it in a pot because I plan on moving soon and didn't want to leave it behind. Is it ok to bring it indoors for the winter or does it need to be outdoors during the winter months? Thank you, Carrie M.
If it is a lilac variety that
If it is a lilac variety that is cold hardy it will need to be stored in a cool place (unheated garage is perfect). You can also dig a hole in the ground in a protected area of your yard and place the pot in the hole and cover it with mulch.
Non blooming lilac
I have lilac that is about 7 years old, beautiful leaves but has never bloomed. I read two suggestions, wood ash and lime. Which is better and what time of year to treat.
Add some lime to the soil
Add some lime to the soil around the lilac now and then again in the spring. Also make sure that the bush gets plenty of afternoon sun. If the lilac is located in a lawn area that is fertilized the roots may get too much nitrogen which promotes leaf growth.
hydrangeas close to lawn
I have my lilacs close to my lawn area and after reading your comment I suppose they are only doing leaves instead of blooms because of the lawn fertilizing How should I combat that for the lilac's sake- add lime? no fertilizing now (winter) a handful of 10-10-10 for lilacs?
Purple lilac tree
Hi, I had to move my lilac tree a yr ago and all the leaves fell off. It's just got twigs now that look dead, never even had any shoots this yr but I refuse to dig it up now as keep hoping it will come back next spring. It's still about 6" tall. Any ideas anyone. Will it come back!! I will be gutted if it dies as planted it when I lost my dog.
Don't give up. Wait for
Don't give up. Wait for spring and also look for shoots coming up from the soil around the stem.
Blooming in late September?
I live in Missouri and my lilac just started blooming. Is that normal? We've had a terrible drought this summer and hardly any winter.
I believe there are some
I believe there are some varieties of lilacs that will bloom a second-time around in September. If you had a wet spell followed by a heat wave, perhaps that could also spark some blooms.
black leaves on new lilac
Will magneseum take care of this problem also.....I know we are watering enough.
If you have dark black
If you have dark black streaks on a young lilac, then you probably have lilac bacterial blight. It overwintered on the wood 1. Prune and burn all infected parts asap. 2. Provide good air circulation; make sure the leaves don't rub against another plant. 3. Do NOT fertilize. High nitrogen in young plants favors disease development. 4. In early spring, spray copper sulfate. 5. Purchase blight-resistant varieties.
White foam running down main branch
What is the white foam running down the main branch. It's attracting bees, ants, wasps, moths,etc.?
White foam
Look close to see if there are tiny insects in the "foam". It can be something called cottony aphids. Mix 20 drops of citrus oil in 2 cups of water and spray the aphids. It may also be scale insects that can be treated with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap spray.
lilac bush dying?
hi there.we have an approx. 10 foot lilac bush in our backyard that gets full sun. No idea how old it is. We've lived here for 2.5 years and it's always been pretty sparse looking. there are few branches and even fewer with leaves. Right now the top foot is full of lush green leaves, the middle has light green-yellow leaves that are turning brown and falling off very easily. The bottom portion has a few healthier leaves. i noticed that there where several large branches from the ground that were completely dead so started to cut them back and they pull right out of the ground! When it does bloom it only has maybe 12 flowers and they don't last long. What should we do? It's the end of August and has been a very hot summer. Thanks in advance!
Lilac bush
Your lilac bush will benefit from some pruning. You can cut the entire bush back to about a foot tall in the early spring before new growth starts. This will rejuvenate an old/overgrown lilac, but it will not bloom until the following year. Or, you can try the 3-year plan to keep some blooms going. Take out a third of the bush each year by cutting the large branches to the base of the plant. Be sure to prune in early spring before new growth appears.
take a 10 ft lilac bush down
take a 10 ft lilac bush down to 1 foot? do i understand that correctly? just because it seems really drastic. i want to be sure. and what time of year is best to do that?
It is drastic but lilacs are
It is drastic but lilacs are very hardy. See our pruning tips above. A less drastic method is to prune 1/3 of the bush in early spring. The following spring cut back another 1/3 and prune the last 1/3 the third spring. See our pruning pointers above.
Lilac leaves turning brown and curling inward
In May we planted three lilac bushes on the west side of our house, usually gets about 6 to 8 hours of sun. They seemed to be doing fine until about a month ago, and I have noticed that some of the branches appear dead and are not bearing any leaves. Also, some of the branches have leaves that are browning around the edges and curling inward. We are in Columbus Ohio, and I am not sure when I am watering too much or when I need to water more frequently. Is it me or did we get unhealthy plants?
Lilac leaves
Lilacs are usually not fuzzy about the soil but you may be lacking magnesium that they need (symptoms are brown curled leaves). Or you may not be watering enough. During dry hot weather the bushes need frequent deep waterings. Use a hose and soak the soil around the bushes a couple of times a week.
Lilac
I live in Pennsylvania, I have few Lilac's about 4 years old, first time bloomed this summer but I have noticed white powdery material around the base/stems,some of the brances have dried up too.Do you think this is fungal infection? any remedies?
If it's a white, moldy look,
If it's a white, moldy look, then it's powdery mildew. Don't worry. This is common on lilacs and often arrives in late July or August. It doesn't harm the plants and it will be gone when the leaves drop after a few frosts. Next year: To keep under control, spray before the disease shows up. (Consult with your local garden center on sprays.) In terms of the branches: Are they dead? Cut the old, dead branches out completely back to the ground. This will also help with the mildew by improving air circulation.
Wilting leaves ...
I received a healthy lilac bush for a gift. It was doing fine for a week or two in a container. After planting, almost immediately the leaves started drooping and have continued to get worse. It's super hot and dry right now, and I've been trying to balance watering enough w/not watering too much. But it's not looking good.
Your lilac is probably
Your lilac is probably experiencing transplant shock (lilacs are best planted when they are dormant). To help your plant, keep watering when the soil gets dry (not too wet, not too dry); make sure that it isn’t planted too deeply; and provide good drainage. Water from the base; water will burn leaves in hot, sunny weather. Do not fertilize the first year. Provide light shade during the hot weather the first year so that the plant won’t lose as much water as its roots establish themselves; you can create shade by securing burlap to stakes and setting these temporary walls on sunny sides of the plant. Burlap allows some sunlight to penetrate so that the leaves can make food, but the light shade helps to reduce evaporation.
Dwarf Lilac
I live in Chicago and would like to plant a lilac bush in a raised flower bed under a window. what variety is best as to not grow too tall that it obscures the front window of our house?
Dwarf Lilac
Syringa 'Josee' is a dwarf (grows to max. 6 feet high) that blooms in the spring and reblooms later in the summer. It's hardy in Zones 4-8. Another repeat blooming dwarf variety is fragrant Syringa 'Bloomerang'.
brown leaves
I planted lilac 10yrs.ago grows great.this July started wilting in spots now those leaves are brown,should i cut the branches down? live in new jersey had alot of high temps in july also same thing happen this time last year.
brown leaves
Hot weather can cause brown leaves. Water the lilac deeply once a week and add 1/2 cup of lime around the base of the tree to sweeten the soil.You can prune some of the old branches. This will encourage new growth.
Brown leaves
I too have the same brown leaf issue in coastal South Carolina. My lilacs are not in the ground. They are in a large jack daniels barrel and though some of the older canes have a few wilted leaves, the plant is still sprouting new canes and the old canes show new leaf buds. My parents brought these lilacs from Bucks County, Pa to Richmond, Va in the late 70's and I brought some to South Carolina when I moved from Richmond. Excited about new canes but not sure what to do (if anything) about the wilting. Been humid, hot, and lots of summer storms here this season. I'm going to try to pull the barrel under the porch during next few rains to try to dry the moisture-heavy soil a bit and just put it out in full sun when not raining. Should I cut old canes or just let it roll?
Brown leaves
In wet weather lilacs get a fungal disease that causes the leaves to wilt and turn brown. The lilac will recover from this when the weather improves. Let the soil dry out. You may want to prune some of the old canes to encourage new growth.
lilacs blooming again
The lilacs along my back fence were full of blooms in May. It is August and I see new blooms! Why? Should I do something? They came with the house and I've never grown them before.
It's most likely the type of
It's most likely the type of lilac plant you have! Some late season bloomers include 'Miss Canada' and 'Donald Wyman.'
We say, enjoy the beauty before fall arrives!
non blooming lilacs.
My lilac bush @ least 6 years old. Has never bloomed. About 7 feet tall. It has never been pruned. It is mid August. Can I prune it now? Where do I get this "ash" you wrote about. There are several suckers. Should I leave them? Bush is close to corner of house by the garage. Is this OK?
Make sure your plant is
Make sure your plant is receiving lots of sun. We recommend pruning in in spring.
Any of the suggested tips in the 'Pruning' section above will be helpful in trying to get your plant to successfully bloom. You may want to start fresh by cutting down the plant to about 6 inches in height and "start over." However, this will also take a few years of patience while waiting for blooms.
Cutting lilacs down
Our lilacs are 5-7ft high and I want to cut them much lower and promote more growth next year. My wife insists that the "insides" are all just wirey and says we should just cut them down and replant new. I say cut them low and they'll regrow anyway. Are EITHER of us right?
I hope it's OK with your wife
I hope it's OK with your wife is we say that you are right! Lilacs are very hardy and they regrow (as long as they're not dead). You can either: 1. Cut the bush back to short stubs (about 6 inches long) in the early spring before new growth. It will rejuvenate an old/overgrown lilac, but it not bloom until the next year. 2. OR, try the 3-year plan to keep some blooms going. Take out a third of the volume each year by cutting the large branches to the base of the plant. Be sure to prune in early spring before new growth.
my early lilac bush
I think my husband was to heavy on the weed killer a year ago and it is now affecting my lilacs and everything i planted. They started out with buds in early spring but then shriveled up. i have nothing! there is still green IN the branch when i cut on off. can i cut the entire bush down and give it a fresh start. it is about 15 years old and big. arghhh i want to save it somehow. help!!
The lilac that has been
The lilac that has been affected probably will recover eventually. Be sure to prune the lilacs in the spring, right after flowering (or shriveled up buds!). If you wish to rejuvenate an old lilac, we'd advise a three-year plan. Cut out a third of the branches to the base each year.
cutleaf lilac
i live in Oklahoma, and have two cutleaf lilacs growing rather postive, but with this heat and drought i am wondering if they will surviv e, even with regular watering, temps reach around a 103 above
Cutleaf lilac
Cutleaf lilacs are tough and grow well in warm climates. Keep watering and your lilacs should be fine.
Rust on lilac leaves
I live in northern Ca. and I received a lilac bush as a gift. It is still in a pot and seemed to be doing great until our 105 degree weather hit for about 10 days. I did put some lime in it last fall but now I am seeming what looks like rust on the leaves. Could you please tell me what causes this?
There is a mite that produces
There is a mite that produces a slightly rusty color on the leaves and may cause some leaf rolling. For control, use Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub Insect Control. Perhaps bring a sample to your local garden center or cooperative extension for a diagnosis. Here are other common lilac diseases:
http://extension.psu.edu/plant-disease-factsheets/all-fact-sheets/lilac-diseases
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