| Scientific Name: | Syringa vulgaris |
| Common Name: | common lilac |
| Family Name: | Oleaceae |
| Origin: | Europe |
| Hardiness Zone: | Zone 2: (-46 to -40 °C) |
| Plant Type: | Shrub - deciduous |
| Mature Size: | 5 - 7m x 4 - 5m (height x width) |
| Habit: | Stiffly upright |
| Form: | Irregular |
| Texture: | Medium - coarse |
| Landscape Uses: | Attract birds, Attract butterflies, Cut flower or foliage, Fragrance, Hedge row, Mixed shrub border, Screening, Spring interest |
| Exposure: | Full sun |
| Soil or Media: | Alkaline |
| Leaves: | Simple, Opposite, Whorled, Soft flexible, Glabrous, Ovate, Entire, Sinuate |
| Flowers: | Thyrse, White, Violet, Purple, Apr-May |
| Fruit: | Capsule, Brown, Aug-Sep, (Persistent) |
| Key ID Features: | |
| Leaves opposite (rarely in whorls of 3), ovate, 8-12cm long x 4-6cm wide, base cordate, margin entire; panicles (thyrse) of highly fragrant florets, 4 petals, violet-purple, Apr-May. Winter ID: twigs 4-sided, glabrous, buds opposite, 3-5mm long, smooth, green, single crescent-shaped vascular bundle scar; terminal buds in pairs; opened capsules. | |