Lilacs

Lilac (Syringa) 3’ – 15’ Sun. Spring bloomer. Purple, lavender, white, pink and yellow flowers. Take a deep breath. Can’t you just smell lilacs from memory? These are hallmarks of spring. Many of the common lilacs (vulgaris) reaching 15’ have been around for decades. Of course, hybridizers are always working towards new and better plants. I’m not sure they are better, but there have been dozens of exciting choices in recent years, many of which are shorter and more compact. ‘Prairie Petite’ (light pink flowers) only gets 3’ – 4’ while ‘Tinkerbelle’ has the same flower color but stretches to 4’ – 6’. ‘Palibin’ (purple flowers) comes in between 3’ – 5’, ‘Miss Kim’ (pale purple) gets 6’ – 7’ and ‘Sensation’ (purple flowers with white edges) is 8’ – 10’. ‘Josee’ (lavender-pink) blooms all summer, although the first flush is the best. Reliable reports have it that the newer ‘The Bloomerang’ (purple, 5’ – 6’, pictured) puts ‘Josee’ to shame. Personally, I am interested in getting my hands on a cut-leaf lilac, ‘Laciniata’. It tops out at 6’ and has fragrant lavender flowers with delicate leaves that are mildew resistant. Then there is the ever-elusive yellow lilac, ‘Zhang Zhiming’, that Klehms Song Sparrow Nursery sells. Check it out at (www.songsparrow.com). I recently bought a variegated lilac, ‘Aucubaefolia’, with green and yellowish-white variegated leaves and lavender flowers. I was told to prune it hard in the spring and not let it flower for the best leaf variegation. Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. Zones 3 – 7 (excerpt from The Smart Plant Shopper’s Top Ten Lists ebook)