Lilac in the garden: varieties, planting and care

Lilac is one of the symbols of May: everyone knows its scent and lush flower clusters. Thousands of lilac cultivars exist today, and collection gardens devoted to them are called syringariums. Here is what kinds of lilac there are, how to create a small lilac collection in your garden, how to plant and prune the shrubs, and how to make cut lilac last longer. More flowers with photos, names and meanings are in our types of flowers guide. When lilac blooms, what it means and whether you may pick it: when does lilac bloom.

Spring flowers and plants are in our potted plants section.

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Types of lilac

Most garden cultivars belong to common lilac (Syringa vulgaris). Many famous cultivars, including double ones, were bred in France by the Lemoine family nursery in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Cultivars differ in colour, doubleness, cluster size and flowering time.

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What a syringarium is

A syringarium is a collection garden of lilac species and cultivars. In Kyiv, a well-known one is at the M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden, which draws crowds of visitors when it flowers in May.

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Creating a lilac collection at home

• Choose cultivars by flowering time — early, mid and late — to stretch the season over several weeks.
• Mix colours — white cultivars freshen up dark violet and lilac ones.
• Leave space: 2–3 m between shrubs, as mature lilacs spread widely.
• Add other species such as Meyer or Hungarian lilac to extend the season and vary the shrub shapes.

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Planting and care

• Site: full sun, no waterlogging; lilac prefers neutral to slightly alkaline soil.
• Timing: late summer to early autumn is best; early spring also works.
• Pruning: remove spent clusters right after flowering — next year’s flower buds form in summer on this year’s shoots.
• Suckers: on grafted cultivars remove rootstock suckers so they do not overwhelm the plant.
• Renovation: rejuvenate old shrubs gradually, cutting out 1–2 old stems a year.

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Lilac in a vase

• Cut branches in the morning when about a third of the flowers in the cluster have opened.
• Remove most of the leaves — they draw moisture away.
• Cut at an angle and put straight into cool water; change it daily.

Cut lilac does not last long, which is why it is prized as a seasonal May bouquet. For flowers that last longer, see Long-lasting cut flowers.

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Keeping cut lilac fresh

Cut lilac wilts quickly unless the stems are prepared. Cut in the morning when about half the florets in the cluster are open. Remove most of the leaves — they draw water the flowers need. Split or cut the bottom 3–5 cm of woody stem at an angle and put it straight into cool water. Change the water daily and keep the vase out of the sun — the bouquet will last 5–7 days.

FAQ

Why is my lilac not flowering?

Common causes are shade, pruning too late (removing flower buds), too much nitrogen fertiliser or a young plant.

Does a five-petal flower bring luck?

That is a folk belief: lilac flowers usually have four petals, and five-petal ones are rarer, so finding one is considered lucky.

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Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.

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