| Syringa vulgaris | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Oleaceae |
| Genus: | Syringa |
| Species: | S. vulgaris |
| Binomial name | |
| Syringa vulgaris | |
Syringa vulgaris, the lilac or common lilac, is a species of flowering plant in the olive family, Oleaceae. Native to the Balkan Peninsula, it is widely cultivated for its scented flowers in Europe (particularly the north and west) and North America.
Syringa vulgaris is a large deciduous shrub or multi-stemmed small tree, growing to 6–7 m (20–23 ft) high. It produces secondary shoots from the base or roots, with stem diameters up to 20 cm (8 in), which in the course of decades may produce a small clonal thicket. [1] The bark is grey to grey-brown, smooth on young stems, longitudinally furrowed, and flaking on older stems. The leaves are simple, 4–12 cm (2–5 in) and 3–8 cm broad, light green to glaucous, oval to cordate, with pinnate leaf venation, a mucronate apex, and an entire margin. They are arranged in opposite pairs or occasionally in whorls of three. The flowers have a tubular base to the corolla 6–10 mm long with an open four-lobed apex 5–8 mm across, usually lilac to mauve, occasionally white. They are arranged in dense, terminal panicles 8–18 cm (3–7 in) long. The fruit is a dry, smooth, brown capsule, 1–2 cm long, splitting in two to release the two-winged seeds. [2] [3]
Syringa vulgaris was first formally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 and the description was published in Species Plantarum . [4] [5] The specific epithet vulgaris is Latin for "common" (in the sense of "widespread"). [6]
The species is native to the Balkan Peninsula, where it grows on rocky hills. [2] [7] [8] Grown in spring for its scented flowers, the large shrub or small tree is widely cultivated and has been naturalized in parts of Europe, Asia, and North America. It is not regarded as an aggressive species. It is found in the wild in widely scattered sites, usually in the vicinity of past or present human habitations. [9] [10] [11]
Lilacs—both S. vulgaris and S. × persica the finer, smaller "Persian lilac", now considered a natural hybrid—were introduced into northern European gardens at the end of the 16th century, from Ottoman gardens, not through botanists exploring the Balkan habitats of S. vulgaris. [12] The Holy Roman Emperor's ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, is generally credited with supplying lilac cuttings to the Dutch horticulturist Carolus Clusius about 1562. Well-connected botanists, such as the great herbalist John Gerard, soon had the rarity in their gardens: Gerard noted that he had lilacs growing "in very great plenty" in 1597. However, lilacs were never mentioned by Shakespeare [13] and the 19th century botanist John Loudon was of the opinion that the Persian lilac was introduced into English gardens by John Tradescant the elder in the 17th century. [14] Tradescant's source for information on the lilac, and perhaps ultimately for the plants, was Italian naturalist Pietro Andrea Mattioli, as one can tell from a unique copy of Tradescant's plant list in his Lambeth garden, an adjunct of his Musaeum Tradescantianum ; it was printed, though probably not published, in 1634: it lists Lilac Matthioli. That Tradescant's "lilac of Mattioli's" was a white one is shown by Elias Ashmole's manuscript list, Trees found in Mrs Tredescants Ground when it came into my possession (1662): [15] "Syringa alba".
In the American colonies, lilacs were introduced in the 18th century. Peter Collinson, F.R.S., wrote to the Pennsylvania gardener and botanist John Bartram, proposing to send him some, and remarked that John Custis of Virginia had a fine "collection", which Ann Leighton interpreted as signifying common and Persian lilacs, in both purple and white, "the entire range of lilacs possible" at the time. [16]
It is also slowly making its way into the world of bonsai where it is loved for its flowers and multistem features. [17]
The lilac is a very popular ornamental plant in gardens and parks because of its attractive, sweet-smelling flowers, which appear in early summer just before many of the roses and other summer flowers come into bloom. [18]
In late summer, lilacs can be attacked by powdery mildew, specifically Erysiphe syringae, one of the Erysiphaceae. [19] No fall color is seen, and the seed clusters have no aesthetic appeal.
Common lilac tends to flower profusely in alternate years, a habit that can be improved by deadheading the flower clusters after the color has faded and before seeds, few of which are fertile, form. At the same time, twiggy growth on shoots that have flowered more than once or twice can be cut to a strong, outward-growing side shoot.
It is widely naturalised in western and northern Europe. [3] In a sign of its complete naturalization in North America, it was selected as the state flower of the state of New Hampshire, in that state's wording because it "is symbolic of that hardy character of the men and women of the Granite State". [20] Additional hardiness for Canadian gardens was bred for in a series of S. vulgaris hybrids by Isabella Preston, who introduced many of the later-blooming varieties. Their later-developing flower buds are better protected from late spring frosts. The Syringa × prestoniae hybrids range primarily in the pink and lavender shades. [21]
Most garden plants of S. vulgaris are cultivars, the majority of which do not exceed 4–5 m (13–16 ft) tall. [22] Between 1876 and 1927, the nurseryman Victor Lemoine of Nancy, France, introduced over 153 named cultivars, many of which are considered classics and still in commerce today. Lemoine's "French lilacs" extended the limited color range to include deeper, more saturated hues, and many of them are double-flowered "sports", with the stamens replaced by extra petals.
The following cultivars of Syringa vulgaris have received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:
With single flowers:
With double flowers:
The flowers of common lilac are edible and used for flavoring honeys, sugars, food and other sweets. [32] [33]
Syringa is a genus of 12 currently recognized species of flowering woody plants in the olive family or Oleaceae called lilacs. These lilacs are native to woodland and scrub from southeastern Europe to eastern Asia, and widely and commonly cultivated in temperate areas elsewhere.
Penstemon, the beardtongues, is a large genus of roughly 280 species of flowering plants native to North America from northern Canada to Central America. It is the largest genus of flowering plants endemic to North America. As well as being the scientific name, penstemon is also widely used as a common name for all Penstemon species alongside beardtongues.
Hibiscus syriacus is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is native to areas of east Asia, but widely introduced elsewhere, including much of Europe and North America. It was given the epithet syriacus because it had been collected from gardens in Syria. Common names include the rose of Sharon,, Syrian ketmia, shrub althea (or simply althea), and rose mallow. It is the national flower of South Korea and is mentioned in the South Korean national anthem.
Bougainvillea is a genus of thorny ornamental vines, bushes, and trees belonging to the four o' clock family, Nyctaginaceae. They are native to Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, and Argentina. There are between 4 and 22 species in the genus. The inflorescence consists of large colourful sepal-like bracts which surround three simple waxy flowers, gaining popularity for the plant as an ornamental. The plant is named after explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville (1729-1811), after it was documented on one of his expeditions.
Anemonoides nemorosa, the wood anemone, is an early-spring flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native to Europe. Other common names include windflower, European thimbleweed, and smell fox, an allusion to the musky smell of the leaves. It is a perennial herbaceous plant growing 5–15 cm (2–6 in) tall.
Dasiphora fruticosa is a species of hardy deciduous flowering shrub in the family Rosaceae, native to the cool temperate and subarctic regions of the northern hemisphere, often growing at high altitudes in mountains. Dasiphora fruticosa is still widely referenced in the horticultural literature under its synonym Potentilla fruticosa. Common names include shrubby cinquefoil, golden hardhack, bush cinquefoil, shrubby five-finger, widdy, kuril tea and tundra rose.
Thymus serpyllum, known by the common names of Breckland thyme, Breckland wild thyme, wild thyme, creeping thyme, or elfin thyme, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to most of Europe and North Africa. It is a low, usually prostrate subshrub growing to 2 cm (1 in) tall with creeping stems up to 10 cm (4 in) long. The oval evergreen leaves are 3–8 mm long. The strongly scented flowers are either lilac, pink-purple, magenta, or a rare white, all 4–6 mm long and produced in clusters. The hardy plant tolerates some pedestrian traffic and produces odors ranging from heavily herbal to lightly lemon, depending on the variety.
Primula vulgaris, the common primrose, is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae, native to Eurasia. The common name is primrose, or occasionally common primrose or English primrose to distinguish it from other Primula species referred to as primroses.
Wisteria floribunda, common name Japanese wisteria, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to Japan. Growing to 9 m (30 ft), Wisteria floribunda is a woody, deciduous twining climber. It was first brought from Japan to the United States in the 1830s. It is a common subject for bonsai, along with Wisteria sinensis.
Syringa komarowii is a species of lilac native to central China, commonly called nodding lilac. It is native to the Provinces of Gansu, Hubei, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan.
Pierre Louis Victor Lemoine was a celebrated and prolific French flower breeder who, among other accomplishments, created many of today's lilac varieties. As a result of his accomplishments, the term French lilac has come to mean all cultivars of the common lilac that have double flowers, regardless of their origin.
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum is a species of flowering plant in the aster family (Asteraceae). Commonly known as calico aster, starved aster, and white woodland aster, it is native to eastern and central North America. It is a perennial and herbaceous plant that may reach heights up to 120 centimeters and widths up to 30 centimeters.
Phlox paniculata is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family (Polemoniaceae). It is native to parts of the eastern and central United States. It is extensively cultivated in temperate regions as an ornamental plant and has become established in the wild in scattered locales in other regions. Common names include fall phlox, garden phlox, perennial phlox, summer phlox, and panicled phlox.
Crocus chrysanthus, the snow crocus or golden crocus, is a species of flowering plant of the Crocus genus in the family Iridaceae. Native to the Balkans and Turkey, it bears vivid orange-yellow bowl-shaped flowers. It has smaller corms and a smaller flower than the giant Dutch crocus, although it produces more flowers per corm than the latter. Its common name, "snow crocus", derives from its exceptionally early flowering period, blooming about two weeks before the giant crocus, and often emerging through the snow in late winter or early spring. The leaves are narrow with a silver central stripe. Height: 3–4 inches (7.6–10.2 cm).
Eriocapitella hupehensis, a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, is native to Asia. The specific epithet hupehensis, which means "from Hupeh province, China", refers to a region where the species is known to occur. In Chinese, it is called dǎ pò wǎn huā huā (打破碗花花), which means "broken bowl flower".
× Heucherella is an evergreen perennial flowering plant in the family Saxifragaceae. A hybrid of garden origin, it is the result of a cross between two distinct genera, Heuchera and Tiarella, and shows similarities to both parents. This type of intergeneric hybrid is quite rare, and is indicated by a multiplication symbol before the name. The name Heucherella is an example of a portmanteau word, a combination of the two parents' names.
Thalictrum delavayi, Chinese meadow-rue, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae native to China. Growing to 1.2 m (4 ft) tall by 60 cm (24 in) wide, it is a herbaceous perennial with leaves divided into many small leaflets, and panicles of lilac flowers with green or white stamens in summer.
Campanula lactiflora, the milky bellflower, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Campanula of the family Campanulaceae, native to Turkey and the Caucasus. It is a medium-sized herbaceous perennial growing to 1.2 m, with narrow, toothed leaves 5–12 cm (2–5 in) long. Large conical clusters of open, star-shaped flowers are produced on branching stems in summer. In favourable conditions it will self-seed with variable results. The flowers are usually white or pale blue, but numerous cultivars have been developed for garden use, in a range of colours.
Syringa pubescens is a species of flowering plant in the lilac genus of the family Oleaceae, native to Korea and China.
Syringa oblata is a species in the genus Syringa, in the family Oleaceae. It is also known as early blooming lilac or broadleaf lilac.
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