Syringa vulgaris seed
LATIN NAME: SYRINGA VULGARIS
COMMON NAME: Common Lilac
The common lilac is the very scent of spring, and no other shrub fills a garden with such a heady, unforgettable fragrance. It grows as a sturdy, multi-stemmed shrub or small tree, usually reaching two or three metres, with heart-shaped leaves of fresh green and a naturally rounded, handsome shape. In late spring it is covered with large, dense clusters of small, tubular flowers in shades of lilac, purple, white and pink, each cluster a pyramid of blossom that loads the air with perfume, and the flowers are loved by people and bees alike. The lilac has been a garden favourite for centuries, and it belongs to the olive family, native to the Balkan Peninsula of southeastern Europe, where it grows on rocky hillsides, and it has been cultivated since the 1500s, with hundreds of named varieties bred, making it one of the most popular flowering shrubs in temperate gardens.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The common lilac has a long and distinguished record in horticultural research. It has been bred for over four hundred years, and breeders have developed hundreds of cultivars, studying flower colour, fragrance, hardiness and disease resistance, making it one of the most thoroughly studied garden shrubs in temperate horticulture, while its fragrance has also been studied in plant chemistry, as its flowers contain a complex blend of aromatic compounds that perfumers have long admired. In ecology and gardening, lilacs are studied for their value in attracting early-season pollinators, and their hardiness and reliability make them a standard subject in research on flowering shrubs for temperate gardens, while the lilac tolerates most conditions, sun or shade, exposed or sheltered, and any type of soil. For a shrub of such familiar charm, the lilac has a rich and practical record of research.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
To grow the Common Lilac from seed, ecologically, the common lilac is a generous shrub. Its fragrant flowers feed bees, butterflies and other pollinators in late spring, and its dense growth gives shelter and nesting sites for birds, while it is a fast-growing shrub that makes a fine garden presence with beautiful green leaves and lavender blooms. Its economic value is considerable: it is one of the most popular flowering shrubs in temperate gardens, with a large place in the nursery trade, and the cut flower clusters are prized by florists for their colour and fragrance, while the flowers have also been used in perfumery and in traditional remedies. To raise the common lilac, sow the flat, winged seeds in pots of moist compost in autumn, leave the pots outdoors through the winter months, and bring them into a bright spot in spring.
sow the flat, winged seeds in pots of moist compost in autumn, leave the pots outdoors through the winter months, and bring the young lilacs into a bright spot in spring.
LATIN NAME: Syringa vulgaris
COMMON NAME: Common Lilac
The common lilac is the very scent of spring, and no other shrub fills a garden with such a heady, unforgettable fragrance. It grows as a sturdy, multi-stemmed shrub or small tree, usually reaching two or three metres, with heart-shaped leaves of fresh green and a naturally rounded, handsome shape. In late spring it is covered with large, dense clusters of small, tubular flowers in shades of lilac, purple, white and pink, each cluster a pyramid of blossom that loads the air with perfume. The flowers are loved by people and bees alike, and the lilac has been a garden favourite for centuries, with its brief, glorious season marking the turn of the year.
The common lilac belongs to the olive family, Oleaceae, and it is native to the Balkan Peninsula of southeastern Europe, where it grows on rocky hillsides. It has been cultivated since the 1500s, and hundreds of named varieties have been bred, making it one of the most popular flowering shrubs in temperate gardens.
Positive & Encouraging Seed Germination Guide
Growing lilac from seed is easy and gives good results, though the seedlings can vary in flower colour. The flat, winged seeds ripen in the dry capsules after flowering, and they need a period of cold, moist conditions to germinate, so sow them in pots of moist compost in autumn and leave them outdoors through winter, or chill them in the fridge for six to eight weeks first. In spring, bring the pots to a bright spot and keep them moist. Germination usually begins within two to six weeks. Grow the young shrubs on in pots for a year or two before planting them out in full sun and well-drained soil. In a few years your seedling lilac will reward you with its first flowers and that unforgettable spring fragrance.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The common lilac has a long and distinguished record in horticultural research. It has been bred for over four hundred years, and breeders have developed hundreds of cultivars, studying flower colour, fragrance, hardiness and disease resistance, making it one of the most thoroughly studied garden shrubs in temperate horticulture. The lilacs fragrance has also been studied in plant chemistry, as its flowers contain a complex blend of aromatic compounds that perfumers have long admired. In ecology and gardening, lilacs are studied for their value in attracting early-season pollinators, and their hardiness and reliability make them a standard subject in research on flowering shrubs for temperate gardens. For a shrub of such familiar charm, the lilac has a rich and practical record of research.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
Ecologically, the common lilac is a generous shrub. Its fragrant flowers feed bees, butterflies and other pollinators in late spring, and its dense growth gives shelter and nesting sites for birds.
Its economic value is considerable. It is one of the most popular flowering shrubs in temperate gardens, with a large place in the nursery trade, and the cut flower clusters are prized by florists for their colour and fragrance. The flowers have also been used in perfumery and in traditional remedies. For a grower, lilac is a dependable, high-demand shrub, and for a gardener it brings one of the finest fragrances in all of gardening, season after season.
Syringa vulgaris (lilac or common lilac) Beautiful fragrant Lilac trees. Height 2.5 – 4 metres Spread 2.5- 4m Mature around 10 years but grows quickly. Likes sun but copes with most conditions. Tolerates any type of soil Sun or Shade, Exposed or sheltered. Easy to grow. This is a wonderful shrub as it is a fast growing shrub, that gets beautiful green leaves and lavender blooms that are very fragrant. This shrub can grow to 15’+ in height. These great plants would be great for bonsai, or to grow on to add to your rare plant collection.