THE LILAC ZONE

'Miss Canada'

The last category of lilacs (Syringa reticulata subsp. reticulata) are the very-late blooming lilacs or what are commonly referred to as "tree lilacs". Variation in color is extremely limited so far, the blooms appearing white to cream. Regardless, it is still nice to see them in bloom after all of the more common varieties have finished blooming. Fortunately tree lilacs seem to be becoming more common and are being planted more and more along town streets. We are lucky enough to have one right across from our house, so we get the benefit of enjoying it without using up our own real estate in the process! 

The second category of lilacs is called Syringavulgaris or the mid-season blooming lilacs. These include the common lilac that most recall seeing at their grandma/aunt/mom's place and those that are commonly called "French lilacs". There are well over 1000 different cultivars in this category. No, that is not a typo and for that reason alone, my wife is probably thankful that our space is limited. For your reference, most of the lilacs mentioned on this site will be of the vulgaris variety.

The third category of lilacs, the late-blooming lilacs, is comprised of many species, but the more common group seems to be the Syringa Villosae Group. In my opinion, lilacs of this group don't exactly smell the same as hyacinthiflora or vulgaris, but they do smell nice just the same. My favorite is 'Miss Canada', seen below:

'Angel White'

'Maiden's Blush'

In my opinion, lilacs (the Genus Syringa) really don't get the attention  that they deserve. I think that it stems from the fact that the general public really has no idea how diverse they can be! The first statement you commonly hear about lilacs is:

1. "Lilacs are wonderful but the flowers don't last long enough!"

This is an interesting statement. It leads you to believe that lilac blooms do not last as long as other spring-flowering plants - but realistically that doesn't seem to be the case. Crocus, azaleas, magnolias, tulips and other spring flowers really don't seem to last any longer than lilacs. It is likely because of how enjoyable lilac blooms actually are (appearance and aroma) that cause people to say that so often. The reality is that thanks to a number of individuals and their dedication to lilac propagation, there are now four categories of lilacs that together have a blooming period that can span (at least in the New England region) from late April all the way through late June. 

The first category of lilacs is called Syringa hyacinthiflora  or the early-blooming lilacs. There are technically other early-blooming lilacs as well but hyacinthiflora seem to be the most common. There are quite a few remarkable lilacs in this category, but due to the fact that we have limited space, I have tried to limit myself to just one or two cultivars from each color category. Some nice examples of hyacinthiflora include: