Syringa vulgaris Seeds | Common Lilac
LATIN NAME: Syringa vulgaris
COMMON NAME: Common Lilac
Plant Profile
A distinctive member of its genus, Common Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) is a shrub in the olive family, native to balkan peninsula of southeastern Europe. 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. At maturity it stands about Two or three metres. It is the sort of plant that quietly justifies the space it occupies.
Science & Biotechnology
Syringa vulgaris sits in the olive family, a group that keeps botanists, horticulturists and plant breeders busy with questions of classification, adaptation and ornamental potential. Common lilac has a long and distinguished record in horticultural research. Gardeners benefit directly from its long cultivation: what the plant will do in a garden is well understood.
Uses & Benefits
Common Lilac brings genuine presence to the garden and earns its keep across the growing season. Ecologically, 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. 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. It establishes readily and then requires nothing out of the ordinary.
Lilac is the fragrance of late spring, grown purely for its panicles of perfume; it has no medicinal record, only joy.
Growing from Seed
Seed is the natural starting point for Common Lilac, and the process is uncomplicated. Growing lilac from seed is easy and gives good results, though seedlings can vary in flower colour. In spring, bring pots to a bright spot and keep them moist. Sow the seed evenly over the surface and cover lightly, using a loose, well-drained seed compost, and keep it just moist in full sun until the seedlings are well up. Prick the seedlings out once they are large enough to handle, grow them on in bright light, and plant out when conditions allow.
Our Take
Reaching two or three metres, it needs room to show its full form. Given full sun and free drainage, it asks for little routine attention.
Related Reading
More species in the same orbit as Common Lilac: