Lilacs for Cold Climates (A3825)

ilacsF O R

A3825

cold climates— a —

�Lilacs have been cultivat-

ed for over 400 years.

Originating in Europe and

Asia, they were brought to

America in the mid-1700s

where they’ve remained

garden favorites ever

since. Currently, more

than 1,800 cultivars of

lilacs exist, offering a

stunning range of flower

colors, blooming periods,

intensity of fragrance,

and plant sizes. This publi-

cation is intended to help

sort through some of the

top cultivar choices and

provide advice on how to

plant, prune, and care for

these lovely flowering

shrubs.

�

contents

selecting l ilacs 1

s ite select ion 2

care of l ilacs 2

cult ivar descript ions 5

more information 12

Selecting lilacs

W ith the vast quantity of culti-vars to choose from, perhapsthe best way to narrow yourchoices is by considering

mature plant size, bloom timing, ornamen-tal features, and disease resistance beforeyou decide on a specific flower color.Identifying these details will suggest cer-tain species to focus on or avoid.

Disease resistance. Be sure tocheck the cultivar’s relative susceptibil-ity or resistance to diseases. Diseasedplants are unlikely to produce goodflower displays from year to year.Rather than spend time and moneytreating diseases, select a species withgood disease resistance. (For detailsabout the most common diseases oflilacs, refer to the section on diseasesthat follows.)

Plant size. Lilacs come in manysizes and shapes, making them excel-lent choices for a wide variety of uses.Small lilacs can be used near buildingsas foundation plants; larger plants canbe massed to create an informal,unsheared hedge for privacy or ashrub border; and tree lilacs can beused individually as specimen plants.Evaluate the desired planting locationand intended use: Is there room for alilac that grows 12 feet tall and 10 feetwide, or will the space only accommo-date a plant half that size? Do you careif it sends up suckers (new growthfrom the roots)? Choosing the rightplant for the space can save you hoursof pruning time.

Ornamental features.To extend interest beyond the bloomperiod, you might wish to consider cul-tivars that offer attractive features atother times of the year. For example,plants with small leaves have a fine-textured look, cultivars with variegatedleaves (multi-colored) make beautifulspecimen plants, and some speciesoffer good fall color.

Bloom period . If time of bloom isimportant to you, decide when you’dlike the plant to be in bloom.Thespecies listed in this publication areorganized according to bloom period.Be aware, though, that actual bloomdates will vary based on location andweather. Lilac blooms only tend to last7–14 days. By planting a variety ofspecies, overlapping bloom times canextend the length of flowering to 5–6weeks. Other flower features to consid-er include the size and density of theblooms and whether you prefer singleflorets (four petals) or double florets(eight petals).

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lilacs with fall color

Syringa × hyacinthiflora ‘Maiden’s Blush’and ‘Vesper Song’

S. meyeri ‘Palibin’

S. oblata

S. oblata subsp. dilatata

S. pubescens subsp. patula ‘Miss Kim’

S. reticulata ‘Ivory Silk’

miss kim

pal ib in in fall

fredericklaw olmstead

Site selectionThere are three critical questions to askwhen deciding where to plant your lilac:

1. will the plant receiveenough sunlight tothrive and produceflowers?Lilacs require at least 6 hours of directsunlight a day to properly set flowerbuds for flowering the followingspring.The amount of light determinesthe plant’s appearance and quantity offlowers. Lilacs planted in too muchshade will either flower poorly or notat all. Lilacs planted too close togetherwill grow tall and leggy and floweringwill occur only at the top of the plant.

2. will the mature plantfit in the space?The planting site should be largeenough to accommodate not only theultimate height and spread of theplant, but also the root system. Largelilacs planted in small spaces willinevitably spread to crowd out otherplants.

3. does the site haveadequate drainage?Lilacs can tolerate a wide range of pH(prefer pH 6.0–7.0) and soil conditionsas long as they are well-drained. Poordrainage will stunt growth and limitflowering, cause root deterioration, andeventually kill the plant.You canimprove drainage before planting byincorporating topsoil or organic matter(peat, compostedleaf mulch, or com-post) to raise thearea so roots canget established inwell-drained soils.

Care of lilacsTo ensure rapid establishment and hastenthe plant’s ability to produce blooms, thecare you provide the first few years afterplanting is important. Following the adviceoutlined below will help to assure healthi-er plants, which in turn can reduce theneed for pesticides, especially fungicides.

watering needsLilacs should be watered immediately afterplanting and again two to three times perweek for the first month. After that, plantsshould receive 1 inch of water (rainfall orirrigation) once a week. During hot, dryweather you may need to water more fre-quently to keep plants from wilting. Be care-ful not to overwater—lilac roots will rot ifwater can’t drain away.To help keep plantsfrom drying out over winter, continue towater weekly until the ground freezes inlate fall if no rain has occurred.

smaller l ilacssuitable forfoundation plantings

Syringa × hyacinthiflora ‘Excel’ and‘Maiden’s Blush’

S. × laciniata

S. meyeri ‘Palibin’

S. pubescens subsp. julianae ‘GeorgeEastman’ and ‘Karen’

S. pubescens subsp. microphylla‘Superba’

S. pubescens subsp. patula ‘Miss Kim’ and‘KLMone’ (Miss Susie™)Both can grow larger, but are oftenmanaged smaller.

S. vulgaris ‘Marie Frances’, ‘WedgwoodBlue’, and ‘Wonderblue’

S. Fairy Tale Series® ‘Bailbelle’(Tinkerbelle®), ‘Baildust’ (FairyDust™), ‘Bailina’ (Thumbelina™),‘Bailming’ (Prince Charming®), and‘Bailsugar’ (Sugar Plum Fairy®)

S. hybrids ‘Josée’, ‘Minuet’, and ‘Red Pixie’

t inkerbelle

prince charming

maiden ’s blush

— 2 —

nutritionDo not fertilize newly planted shrubs ortrees the first year after planting as theyneed to put their energy into establishinga healthy root system to better supportshoot growth. Once the lilac is established(2–3 years), fertilizers may be needed. Asoil test should be taken to determinephosphorus and potassium levels in thesoil. If either nutrient is limited, a completefertilizer containing nitrogen (N), phospho-rus (P) and potassium (K) can be used. A5-10-5 or a 10-10-10 fertilizer is a goodchoice. Apply the fertilizer at the base ofthe plant after flowering. Always follow theapplication rates on the label. Be carefulnot to overfertilize plants or to use fertiliz-ers containing more than 20% nitrogen.Too much nitrogen can cause excessivevegetative growth at the expense of flowerbud development; in extreme cases it cankill the plant.

mulchMulch around the base of lilacs will helpthem retain moisture, keep the roots cool,and suppress weed development. Organicmulches, such as shredded bark, cypressmulch, composted wood chips, and leafmold are excellent choices for use aroundlilacs. Spread mulch in a ring 2–3 inchesdeep around the base of the plant. Keepthe mulch 1–2 inches from the base ofbranches or the trunk to allow good air cir-culation and to prevent stem and root rotsand injury from rodents.

pruningNewly planted lilacs will not need muchpruning for the first 2–3 years. Pruning rec-ommendations will depend on the plant’sbloom period, growth pattern, andlocation.

timing. Lilacs are usually best prunedwhen they’re dormant, typically inMarch or early April. Pruning at thistime of year has several advantages: it’seasiest to see what you’re removing,there’s little insect and disease activity,and pruning cuts close faster.Thedrawback, though, is that you will sacri-fice some flowers.The next best timeto prune is immediately after floweringbut before plants set flower buds fornext year’s bloom. If you prune too latein the season, you will remove nextyear’s flower buds.

technique—renewal pruningfor suckering shrubs.Lilacs that sucker readily, such as com-mon and early lilacs, should be prunedevery 1–3 years to encourage newgrowth and flowering. Remove approx-imately one-third of all branches thatare larger than 11⁄2 inches in diameter.Cut the branches out at ground levelusing a pruning saw or loppers. Newshoots will develop at the base of theplant. Vigorous young growth oftenproduces more flowers compared toolder, larger-diameter branches.Removing larger branches also helpsto decrease the plant’s susceptibility tolilac borer infestations (see the sectionon insect management for detailsabout this pest). This pruning tech-nique allows lilacs to flower each yearand maintains the size of the plant.

technique—shapingnon-suckering shrubs.Many of the smaller, non-suckeringlilacs only need shaping after floweringto reduce the height of the shrub andmaintain its form.This techniqueinvolves removing a branch back to alarger branch or bud. Do not shearlilacs in summer or fall as you will beremoving flower buds for the followingspring season.

technique—annual dead-heading. Removing blooms withina week after they fade will improve aplant’s appearance and help the lilacconcentrate its energy into formationof flower buds for next year’s bloomrather than seeds.

pal ib in tree

lacin iata

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disease managementThe following diseases commonly affectlilacs grown in cold climates:

powdery mildew appears as awhite powder on the leaves and devel-ops rapidly during hot, humid weather.This fungal disease is unsightly andmay cause some leaf loss, but it won’tkill the plant. Prevention is the besttreatment: plant resistant cultivars,select sites that receive full sun, andprovide adequate spacing betweenplants to allow good air circulation.Remove and destroy infected plantdebris to reduce the amount of inocu-lum present the following year.Fungicides may be used to treat thedisease, but they are not recommendedbecause powdery mildew is strictly acosmetic problem.

bacterial blight is a commonand serious disease of all lilacs,although white-flowered varietiesseem to be more susceptible. Duringcool, wet spring weather, brown spotswith yellow halos appear on leaves andpetioles. If the disease occurs beforeleaves are fully expanded, they willbecome distorted as they mature.Bacterial blight can also cause blackstreaking and dieback of twigs. Prunediseased branches 10–12 inches belowvisibly infected areas. Disinfect prunersbetween each cut and destroy theplant debris (do not compost). Onplants that have a history of bacterialblight, bactericide treatments in earlyspring may be necessary.

lilac witches’ broom ordecline causes lilacs to producetufts of short, spindly branches and yel-low, distorted foliage. Infected branchesoften die, with the disease spreading tokill the entire plant.The pathogen is aphytoplasma, a bacterium-like organismthat lives in the phloem (the food-con-ducting tissue) of infected plants.Phytoplasmas are typically spread byleafhoppers.There is no known cure—fungicides will not help.The best strat-egy is to remove infected plants assoon as symptoms appear. Avoid plant-ing susceptible lilac species or cultivars.

verticillium wilt leads to a sud-den wilting and dieback of branchesand is caused by a soil-borne fungus.Often, wilting branches first appear onone side of the shrub, but eventuallythe entire shrub will wilt and die.Thereis no treatment. If Verticillium wilt hasbeen a problem at a particular site,avoid planting lilacs or other suscepti-ble trees and shrubs there.

insect managementAlthough you may find other insects onlilacs during the growing season, lilac bor-ers and oystershell scale are the two mostimportant pests of lilacs.

lilac borer is the chief insect pest oflilacs. During the immature stage, thesesmall white larvae tunnel into the baseof larger branches where they eat thewood.The branches weaken and even-tually die, and affected shrubs will pro-duce few if any flowers.The best con-trol for this pest is to routinely pruneout one-third of the largest diameterand weak branches back to the base ofthe plant. The insecticide permethrincan be applied around mid-June to killthe adults as they lay eggs.

oystershell scale also attackslilac stems. For most of its life, this pestis motionless beneath a hard waxyshield that resembles a tiny musselshell. Scales are difficult to controlbecause the covering effectively pro-tects both the adult and the egg mass-es. In the spring, the eggs hatch andthe nymphs (immature scale) emergeto find a place to feed.They settledown to begin sucking plant sap andwithin 1–3 weeks develop their ownprotective covering. Feeding damagecauses leaves to turn yellow andbecome distorted. For heavy infesta-tions, the best control is to remove anddestroy the plant. For lighter infesta-tions, dormant oil sprayed onto thestems and trunk of lilacs during thedormant season will smother the scaleinsect.

albert f. holden

why doesn ’tmy l ilac flower?There are several reasons why a lilacplant may not flower:

1. Plants aren’t receiving enough sun-light. Lilacs require at least 6 hoursof direct sunlight per day to produceflower buds.

2. Too much nitrogen (N) can lead tolush, green foliage at the expenseof flower bud production. Lawn fer-tilizers are often high in nitrogen;avoid using them around the baseof your lilac.

3. For the first few years after trans-planting, the plant is putting itsenergy into establishing a root sys-tem rather than into leaf and flowerdevelopment. Water routinely toencourage healthy plant establish-ment.

4. Pruning lilacs in summer willremove flower buds. Prune immedi-ately after flowering to avoid thisproblem. Pruning during the dor-mant season is the best time toprune, but be aware that someflower buds will be removed.

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CultivardescriptionsThe lilacs listed in this section representsome of the many cultivars that are com-mercially available.The list is by no meanscomprehensive and there are many othercultivars worthy of use. Check with yourlocal nursery or garden center or searchonline for availability of specific cultivars.Cold hardiness ratings are based on theUSDA cold hardiness zone map.

The species are sorted into four groups:early, midseason, late-season, and treelilacs.

Syringa x hyacinthiflora

Early flowering lilac, hyacinth lilachardiness: Zone 3b

parents: S. oblata x S. vulgaris

size: Most grow 7–12 feet tall with aspread of 8–10 feet; upright, wide-spreading form; suckering; gets leggywith age unless pruned annually.

leaf: Leaves are large, thick, andleathery. Some cultivars have bur-gundy fall color.

flower: Fragrant flower clusters aremore loose and open than commonlilac.

diseases: Many cultivars are resist-ant to powdery mildew.

care: Renewal prune one-third of thelargest branches at base of plant whendormant or right after flowering; donot shear.

cult ivars:

White—‘Mount Baker’ (single flowers)‘Sister Justena’ (single flowers)

Violet—‘Pocahontas’ (single flowers)‘Vesper Song’ (single flowers; burgundyfall color)

Bluish—‘Blanche Sweet’ (single flowers witha trace of pink)

Lilac—‘Assessippi’ (single flowers)‘Excel’ (single flowers; compact plant,6 feet tall)

Pinkish—‘Anabel’ (double flowers)‘Maiden’s Blush’ (single flowers;burgundy fall color; compact plant,5–6 feet tall)

Magenta—‘Esther Staley’ (single flowers)‘Evangeline’ (double flowers)‘Pink Cloud’ (single flowers)

Purple—‘Royal Purple’ (double flowers)

assessipp i

— 5 —

3a

3b

4a

4b

5b

usda cold hardiness zones andaverage annual minimum temperatures

Earlyearly to mid -may �

–35° to –40°F

–30° to –35°F

–25° to –30°F

–20° to –25°F

–15° to –20°F

–10° to –15°F

Syringa oblata

Broadleaf lilac, early lilachardiness: Zone 3b

size: Grows 8–12 feet tall and spreads8–10 feet; upright, compact form;suckering.

leaf: Long, thick leaves; new growthis bronzish; turns wine-red in fall.

flower: Begins flowering at ayounger age than other lilacs.

disease: Resistant to powderymildew; heat tolerant.

care: Renewal prune one-third ofthe largest branches at base of plantwhen dormant or right afterflowering; do not shear.

cult ivars:

White—‘Betsy Ross’ (single flowers)

Pink—subsp. dilatata: Korean early lilac(single flowers)

Blue—subsp. dilatata ‘Cheyenne’(single flowers)

�

Syringa x chinensis

Chinese lilachardiness: Zone 4a

parents: S. protolaciniata xS. vulgaris

size: Grows 8–12 feet tall andspreads 8–12 feet; upright,wide-spreading form with archingbranches; non-suckering.

leaf: Small leaves; fine-texturedfoliage; no fall color.

flower: Fragrant flower clustersare sterile, so no seed capsules areproduced.

diseases: Very susceptible topowdery mildew and susceptible tobacterial blight.

care: Renewal prune every 3 years,removing one-third of the largestbranches at the base of the plant whendormant or right after flowering; donot shear.

cult ivars:

Pink—‘Saugeana’ (single, pink to purpleflowers)

Purple—‘Lilac Sunday’ (single, pale purple,profuse flowers; tolerant to powderymildew)

Syringa x laciniata

Cutleaf lilac or cutleaf Persian lilachardiness: Zone 4b

parents: S. protolaciniata xunknown parent

size: Grows 5–6 feet tall and spreads5–8 feet; rounded, open form; non-suckering.

leaf: Leaves have three to nine deeplycut lobes, giving the plant a fine tex-ture; no fall color.

flower: Fragrant, single, pale-lilac,flower clusters are loose and small;flowers are sterile, so no seed capsulesare produced.

disease: Resistant to powderymildew and bacterial blight; very heattolerant.

care: Little pruning is needed, butsome shaping is generally desirableafter flowering, do not shear.

l ilac sunday

— 6 —

esther staley

Midseasonmid - to late may�

Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’

Dwarf Korean lilac, Palibin lilac,dwarf littleleaf lilachardiness: Zone 4a

size: Grows 4–6 feet tall and spreads4–6 feet; slow growing, dense, com-pact, broadly mounded form; non-suckering. Available on a standard andoften sold as a tree.

leaf: Leaves are small, rounded, andglossy; fine-textured foliage; maroon topurplish fall color.

flower: Fragrant, single, pinkish-purple flower clusters in late May; few,if any, seed capsules are produced.

diseases: Resistant to powderymildew and bacterial blight; very heattolerant.


Syringa x persica

Persian lilachardiness: Zone 3b

parents: unknown

size: Grows 4–8 feet tall and spreads5–8 feet; upright, arching branches;suckering.

leaf: Leaves are small, egg-shaped,dark green; fine-textured foliage; no fallcolor.

flower: Fragrant, single, pale lilacflower clusters in mid-May; sterile flow-ers, so no seed capsules are produced.

disease: Very susceptible to pow-dery mildew and susceptible to bacter-ial blight.

care: Renewal prune one-third of thelargest branches at base of plant whendormant or immediately after flower-ing; do not shear.

Syringa pubescens subsp. julianae

Juliana lilachardiness:Zone 4a

size: Grows 4–5 feet tall and spreads4–6 feet; upright, compact, horizontallyspreading form; non-suckering.

leaf: Leaves are small and somewhatvelvety; fine-textured foliage; no fallcolor.

flower: Very fragrant flower clus-ters in mid-May.

disease: Resistant to powderymildew and bacterial blight.

care: Little pruning is needed, butsome shaping is generally desirableafter flowering; do not shear.

cult ivars:

White—‘Karen’ (single, white to soft palepink flowers fading to white)

Pink—‘George Eastman’ (single,pink to magenta flowers)

Syringa pubescens subsp.

microphylla ‘Superba’

Daphne lilac, littleleaf lilachardiness: Zone 5a

size: Grows 5–6 feet tall and spreads6–8 feet; upright, broad-spreading,dense form, fine textured;non-suckering.

leaf: Leaves are small; fine-texturedfoliage; no fall color.

flower: Fragrant flower clusters arereddish in bud opening to single, deeppink flowers in late May; may rebloomlightly in summer.

disease: Resistant to powdery mildewand bacterial blight; heat tolerant.


sensat ion

george eastman

— 7 —

Syringa pubescens subsp. patula

Manchurian lilachardiness: Zone 3b

size: Grows 5–7 feet tall and spreads4–6 feet; dense, compact, upright tobroadly rounded form; non-suckering.

leaf: Medium-sized leaves tend to curlupwards; deep maroon to purple fallcolor.

flower: Fragrant flower clustersopen in late May; few if any seed cap-sules are produced.



cult ivars:

Lilac—‘Miss Kim’ (single, pale violet to lilacflowers)

Pink—‘Klmone’ Miss Susie™(single flowers)

Syringa vulgaris

Common lilac, French lilachardiness:Zone 3a

size: Grows 8–15 feet tall (some culti-vars are smaller) and spreads 6–12 feet;upright, wide-spreading form; sucker-ing; gets leggy with age unless pruned.

leaf: Medium-sized, egg-shapedleaves are dark green to bluish-green;no fall color.

flower: Very fragrant flower clus-ters bloom mid- to late May (cultivardependent); persistent seed capsules.

disease: Susceptible to powderymildew and bacterial blight (resistantcultivars noted below).


cult ivars:

White—‘Alba’ (single flowers)‘Avalanche’ (large, single flowers;

mildew resistant)‘Beth’ (double flowers)‘Bridal Memories’ (single flowers)‘Edith Cavalle’ (double flowers; mildew

resistant)‘Fiala Remembrance’ (double

flowers; mildew resistant)‘Frederick Law Olmsted’ (single flowers)‘Krasavitsa Moskvy,’ also known as

Beauty of Moscow (double flowers,pink buds open to white with apink blush; bacterial blight resist-ant)

‘Madame Lemoine’ (double flowers;mildew resistant)

‘Miss Ellen Willmott’ (large, doubleflowers; bacterial blight resistant)

‘Monique Lemoine’ (doubleflowers)

‘Primrose’ (pale creamy white,single flowers; mildew resistant)

‘Rochester’ (single flowers)

Violet—‘Agincourt Beauty’ (single flowers)‘Alfred F. Holden’ (single, violet to pur-

ple flowers with silvery blush onpetal reverse; mildew and bacterialblight resistant)

‘Charles Lindbergh’ (single, violet toblue flowers)

‘De Miribel’ (single flowers; weak grower)’Flower City’ (single, violet to purple

flowers)‘Le Nôtre’ (double flowers)‘Sesquicentennial’ (large, single flowers)

Bluish—‘Ami Schott’ (double flowers)‘Aucubaefolia’ (double flowers;

variegated leaves)’Dappled Dawn’ (single flowers;

variegated leaves)‘Dwight D. Eisenhower’ (single flowers)‘Mechta,’ also known as Dream (single,

blue to lilac flowers)‘Nadezhda’, also known as Hope (large,

double, blue to lilac flowers)‘Président Grévy’ (large, double flowers)‘President Lincoln’ (single flowers;

mildew and bacterial blightresistant)

‘Wedgwood Blue’ (lilac-pink budsopening to blue, single flowers,slightly pendulous; compact, 6 feettall; mildew resistant)

‘Wonderblue,’ also known as ‘Little BoyBlue’ (single, sky blue flowers; com-pact, 4–5 feet tall; mildew resistant)

Lilac—‘Hugo Koster’ (single flowers)‘Letha E. House’ (single flowers; mildew

resistant)‘Michel Buchner’ (double flowers;

bacterial blight resistant)

paul thir ion

sesquicentennial

— 8 —

Midseasonmid - to late may �

Pinkish—‘Belle de Nancy’ (double flowers;bacterial blight resistant)‘Charm’ (single flowers; mildew and

bacterial blight resistant)‘Edouard André’ (double flowers)‘Edward J. Gardner’, also known as

Flamingo™ (double flowers)‘Katherine Havemeyer’ (double flowers;

mildew resistant)’Lois Amee Utley’ (double flowers)‘Lucie Baltet’ (single, pale pink flowers)‘Marie Frances’ (single flowers, com-

pact, 5-6’ tall; mildew resistant)‘Montaigne’ (double, pale pink flowers;

bacterial blight resistant)‘Pink Elizabeth’ (single flowers)

Magenta—‘Arch McKean’ (single, darkmagenta flowers; non-suckering;mildew resistant)

’Atheline Wilbur’ (double to semi-double, light magenta to pinkish-violet flowers; mildew resistant)

‘Charles X’ (single flowers)‘Clyde Heard’ (single flowers)‘Congo’ (single flowers)‘Fernand L. Pegot’ (double flowers)’Frederick Douglas’ (single flowers)‘Glory’ (single flowers)‘Mrs. Edward Harding’ (double flowers)‘My Favorite’ (double flowers)‘Paul Thirion’ (double flowers with a

bluish hue; mildew and bacterialblight resistant)

‘Président Poincaré’ (large, double flow-ers; bacterial blight resistant)

‘Rajah’ (single flowers; narrow, uprightplant)

‘Vintage Wine’ (single flowers)

Purple—‘Adelaide Dunbar’ (double flowers;bacterial blight resistant)

‘Alice Christianson’ (double to triple,light purple flowers)

‘Alvan R. Grant’ (single flowers)‘Andenken an Ludwig Späth’ (single,

dark purple flowers; mildew andbacterial blight resistant)

‘Anne Shiach’ (single flowers)‘Charles Joly’ (double flowers; mildew

and bacterial blight resistant)‘Frank Klager’ (single, dark purple

flowers)‘Frank’s Fancy’ (large, single flowers)‘Hulda’ (single flowers)‘Margaret Fenicchia’ (single, purplish-

violet flowers)‘Monge’ (single flowers)‘Prairie Petite’ (single flowers)’Rainbow’ (single flowers; new leaves

open variegated)‘Sarah Sands’ (single flowers)‘Sensation’ (single flowers with a white

border on each petal; mildew andbacterial blight resistant)

‘Yankee Doodle’ (large, single flowers;bacterial blight resistant)

Fairy Tale Series®hardiness: Zone 3b

parents: S. meyeri ‘Palibin’ xS. pubescens subsp. microphylla‘Superba’

size: Grows 4–6 feet tall and spreads4–6 feet; slow growing; upright torounded; dense, compact form; non-suckering. Available on a standard andoften sold as a tree.

leaf: Small leaves; fine-texturedfoliage; no fall color.

flower: Fragrant flower clusters inlate May; few if any seed capsules areproduced.



cultivars:

Lilac—‘Bailsugar’ Sugar Plum Fairy® (single,rosy-lilac flowers; compact plant)

Pink—‘Bailbelle’ Tinkerbelle® (wine-redbuds open to deep pink, singleflowers)

‘Baildust’ Fairy Dust™ (single, antique-pink (bluish-pink) flowers; still soldbut has been discontinued byBailey Nurseries)

‘Bailina’Thumbelina™ (single, palepink flowers)

‘Bailming’ Prince Charming® (deepwine buds open to lavender-pink,single flowers)

�

wonderblue

montaigne

— 9 —

Syringa x josiflexa

Josiflexa lilachardiness: Zone 4a

parents: S. josikaea x S. komarowiisubsp. reflexa

size: Grows 8–12 feet tall and spreads6–12 feet; upright, wide-spreadingform; non-suckering.

leaf: Leaves are large and elongated;no fall color.

flower: Fragrant flower clustersbloom early to mid-June.

disease: Resistant to powderymildew and bacterial blight; some cul-tivars are very susceptible to phyto-plasmas (lilac witches’ broom).

care: Renewal prune one-third of thelargest branches at base of plant dur-ing dormancy or soon after flowering;do not shear.

cult ivars:

White—‘Agnes Smith’ also known as MissUSA™ (single flowers)

Pink—‘James MacFarlane’ (single flowers;poor performer; very susceptible tophytoplasmas (lilac witches’ broom)

Purple—‘Nellie Bean’ (single flowers)‘Royalty’ (single flowers)

Magenta—‘Redwine’ (single flowers)

Syringa josikaea

Hungarian lilachardiness: Zone 5a

size: Grows 8–10 feet tall and spreads8–12 feet; upright to arching, wide-spreading; suckering.

leaf: Medium-sized leaves are some-what wrinkled above; no fall color.

flower: Fragrant, single, lilac flowerclusters open in late May to early June.

disease: Resistant to powderymildew and bacterial blight.


Syringa x prestoniae

Preston lilac, Canadian hybrid lilachardiness: Zone 3a

parents: S. komarowiisubsp. reflexa x S. villosa

size: Grows 6–10 feet tall and spreads6–10 feet; rigid, upright to rounded,dense form; suckering.

leaf: Long, thick, leathery leaves; nofall color.

flower: Lightly fragrant flowerclusters open in early to mid-June; per-sistent seed capsules.

disease: Resistant to powderymildew and bacterial blight; many cul-tivars are very susceptible to phyto-plasmas (lilac witches’ broom).


cult ivars:

Pink—‘Coral’ (single, pinkish flowers, poorform)

Purple—‘Donald Wyman’ (single flowers)

Blue—‘Nocturne’ (single flowers)

Syringa villosa

Late lilac, hairy lilachardiness: Zone 3b

size: Grows 6–10 feet tall and spreads5–10 feet; upright to rounded form;non-suckering; slow growing.

leaf: Medium-sized, oblong leaves; nofall color.

flower: Lightly fragrant, single, lightrosy-pink flowers in narrow clusters inearly to mid-June; flowers borne oncurrent season’s growth rather thanprevious year’s wood (rare for lilacs).

disease: Susceptible to powderymildew.

care: Requires little pruning, but someshaping is often desirable after flower-ing; do not shear; may need to thin outolder branches.

Other hybrid lilacshardiness: Zone 3b

cultivars:

Pink—‘Alexander’s Pink’ (S. × josiflexa‘James MacFarlane’ × S. × prestoniae‘Ethel M. Webster’; single flowers;6–8 feet tall; non-suckering; mildewresistant)

‘Lark Song’ ((S. sweginzowii ×S. tomentella) × S. komarowii; singleflowers; 6–7 feet tall; few, if anyseed capsules; non-suckering;mildew resistant)

‘Miss Canada’ (S. × josiflexa ‘Redwine’ ×S. × prestoniae ‘Hiawatha’; single,bright pink flowers; 6–9 feet tall;non-suckering; mildew resistant)

‘Red Pixie’ (S. pubescens subsp. julianae‘Hers’ × S. meyeri; single, magentato pink flowers; 4–6 feet tall; non-suckering; mildew resistant)

Purple—‘Minuet’ (S. × josiflexa ‘Redwine’ ×S. × prestoniae ‘Donald Wyman’; single,light purple flowers; compact, 5–6 feettall; slow grower; non-suckering;mildew resistant)

Lilac—‘Morjos 060F’ or ‘Josée’ ((S. pubescenssubsp. microphylla × S. pubescenssubsp. patula) × S. meyeri; single, lilac torose-pink flowers; may repeat flower infall; 4–6 feet tall; non-suckering; mildewresistant)

donald wyman

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Late-seasonlate may to mid -june �

Syringa pekinensis

Peking lilac, Pekin lilachardiness: Zone 4a

size: Tree growing to 20–25 feet tallwith a spread of 15–20 feet; open,loose spreading to rounded form.

leaf: Smooth, medium-sized leaves;no fall color.

flower: Lightly fragrant (not a truelilac smell); single, creamy-white flow-ers in mid-June; tends to flower heavilyevery other year; persistent capsules.

disease: Resistant to powderymildew; moderately susceptible to bac-terial blight.

features: Tolerant of urban condi-tions and winter salt; a good street orspecimen tree; smooth to exfoliatingbark.

care: Little pruning is needed exceptfor removal of lower branches for clear-ance; straight species may be multi-stemmed, cultivars are usually single-stemmed trees; do not shear.

cult ivars:

White—‘DTR 124’ Summer Charm® Pekinglilac (dark green leaves; moreupright form)

‘Morton’ (China Snow® Peking lilac, alsoknown as Water Tower® or ‘ChicagoTower’; has very showy, cherry-like,exfoliating, peeling bark; vigorousshoots resulting in irregular form)

Yellow—‘Zhang Zhimming’ (Beijing Gold™Peking lilac; single flowers;vigorous)

Syringa reticulata

Japanese tree lilachardiness: Zone 3a

size: Tree growing to 20–25 feet tallwith a spread of 15–20 feet; upright,rounded to oval form.

leaf: Medium-sized, dark green leaves;most plants have no fall color, somecultivars turn yellowish.

flower: Lightly fragrant (not a truelilac smell); single, creamy-white flow-ers in mid- to late June; tends to flowerheavily every other year; persistentcapsules.

disease: Resistant to powderymildew; moderately susceptible to bac-terial blight.

features: Tolerant of urban condi-tions and winter salt; a good street orspecimen tree; smooth, cherry-likebark.

care: Little pruning is needed exceptfor removal of lower branches for clear-ance; straight species may be multi-stemmed, cultivars are usually single-stemmed trees; do not shear.

cultivars:

‘Chantilly Lace’ (variegated leaves withcreamy-yellow margins; prone tosunburn)

‘China Gold’ (yellow new leaves laterturning green)

‘Elliott’, also known as Snowcap™(compact, upright pyramidal form)

‘Golden Eclipse’ (variegated leaves,green with bright gold margins)

‘Ivory Silk’ (flowers at a young age;upright, oval habit; grows fasterthan ‘Summer Snow’; yellowish fallcolor)

‘PNI 7523’, also known as Regent®(vigorous, upright growth)

‘Summer Snow’ (broad, rounded form;slower growing)

‘Willamette’, also known as IvoryPillar™ (narrow, upright pyramidalform)

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ivory silk

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Tree lilacsmid - to late june �

For moreinformationLearn more about caring for lilacsfrom the following University ofWisconsin-Extension publications(learningstore.uwex.edu):

Caring for Deciduous Shrubs (A1771)

Lilac Disorder: Bacterial Blight (A2538)

Maple and Other Trees Disorder:Verticillium Wilt (A2537)

Powdery Mildew of Ornamentals(A2404)

Woody Ornamentals Pest Managementin Wisconsin (A3597)

Visit University of Wisconsin-ExtensionGarden Facts (www.uwex.edu/ces/wihort/GardenFacts.html) for these publications:

Bacterial Blight (XHT1093)

How to Properly Prune Deciduous Shrubs(XHT1015)

Powdery Mildew (XHT1005)

Verticillium Wilt (XHT1008)

ReferencesFiala, J.L. Fr. Lilacs: The Genus Syringa. 1988.

Timber Press, Portland, OR.

Mmbaga, M.T., R.J. Sauvé, E. Nnodu, and S.Zhou. 2005. Multiple DiseaseResistance to Powdery Mildew,Bacterial Blight, and Alternaria Blight inLilacs (Syringa spp.). Journal ofArboriculture 31(1):1-9.

Vrugtman, F. 2004. International Registerand Checklist of Cultivar Names in theGenus Syringa L. (Oleaceae). RoyalBotanical Gardens, Hamilton, Ontario,Canada.

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anabel

royalty

china snow

edith cavalle

Copyright © 2006 by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System doing business as the division of CooperativeExtension of the University of Wisconsin-Extension. All rights reserved. Send copyright inquiries to: Cooperative Extension Publishing,432 N. Lake St., Rm. 103, Madison, WI 53706.

Author: Laura Jull is associate professor of horticulture, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison andUniversity of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension. Photographs courtesy Drs. Laura Jull and Ed Hasselkus. Produced byCooperative Extension Publications, University of Wisconsin-Extension: Linda Deith, editor; Susan Anderson, designer.

Reviewers: Freek Vrugtman is the international lilac registrar, Royal Botanical Gardens, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Jeff Gillman isassociate professor of horticulture, University of Minnesota; and Paul Hartman is former horticulture agent, University of Wisconsin-Extension, Brown County.

University ofWisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Wisconsincounties, publishes this information to further the purpose of the May 8 and June 30, 1914 Acts of Congress. An EEO/AA employer, theUniversity of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, includingTitle IX and Americans with Disabilities (ADA) requirements. If you need this information in an alternative format, contact CooperativeExtension Publishing or Equal Opportunity and Diversity Programs, University of Wisconsin-Extension, 501 Extension Building, 432 N.Lake Street, Madison, WI 53706, [email protected], phone: 608-262-0277, fax: 608-262-8404, TTY: 711 Wisconsin Relay.

This publication is available from your Wisconsin county Extension office (www.uwex.edu/ces/county) or from CooperativeExtension Publishing.To order, call toll free: 877-WIS-PUBS (877-947-7827) or visit our web site at learningstore.uwex.edu.

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Lilacs for Cold Climates (A3825)