Family: Oleaceae
Author: L.
Bibliography: Sp. pl. 1:9. 1753
Year: 1753
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Syringa
Vegetable: False
Observations: C. Albania to NC. Romania
Description
The Common lilac, known scientifically as Syringa vulgaris, is a deciduous shrub renowned for its spectacular and fragrant blooms. First described in the landmark publication “Species Plantarum” in 1753 by the eminent botanist Carl Linnaeus, Syringa vulgaris holds a prominent place in gardens and landscapes worldwide.
Hailing from the regions of Central Albania to Northern Central Romania, this species has been cherished for centuries, not just for its beauty but also for its delightful scent, which heralds the arrival of spring. Belonging to the family Oleaceae, the Common lilac shares its lineage with olives, ash trees, and jasmine, illustrating its diverse botanical connections.
Typically, the Common lilac grows to a height of 8-15 feet, displaying heart-shaped leaves that provide a lush green backdrop to its vibrant flowers. These flowers are most commonly found in shades of lavender, though cultivars in white, pink, and even yellow hues have been developed. The blossoms cluster in conical panicles, making them a favorite for cutting and use in floral arrangements.
The lilac’s preference for well-draining soil and full sunlight makes it a resilient and relatively low-maintenance addition to gardens. Well-suited to temperate climates, it is a hardy plant that can tolerate cold winters, often thriving in USDA zones 3 through 7. This durability is perhaps part of why it has been so widely cultivated beyond its native range, becoming a common sight in gardens across Europe and North America.
In addition to its ornamental value, the Common lilac has cultural and historical significance. It has been a symbol of spring and renewal and features in folklore as a harbinger of love and romance. The intriguing combination of its delightful fragrance, beautiful blossoms, and historical stature makes Syringa vulgaris a cherished plant for gardeners and plant lovers alike.
Whether enjoyed for its aesthetic appeal, its heady scent, or its ability to signal the end of winter’s chill, the Common lilac remains a timeless and beloved garden classic.
Common Names
Dan: almindelig syren, syren
Eng: common lilac, lilac, purple lilac
Deu: flieder, gewöhnlicher flieder
Pol: lilak pospolity
Fra: lilas, lilas commun, lilas des jardins, lilas vulgaire
Lit: paprastoji alyva
Nld: sering
Hun: kerti orgona
Ita: lilla, serenella
Ces: orgován oby, šeřík obecný
Lav: parastais ceriņš
Swe: pihasyreeni, syren, vanlig syren
Fin: pihasyreeni
Nob: syrin
Nno: syrin
Sme: sirena
Mkd: jorgovan
Cym: leilac, lelog
Bul: ljuljak
Ell: πασχαλιά
En: Common lilac, Lilac, Purple lilac, Lilac Tree
Af: Gewone sering
Ar: ليلك شائع
Hy: Եղրևանի սովորական
Az: Adi yasəmən
Ba: Сирень
Eu: Lila
Be: Бэз звычайны
Bg: Обикновен люляк, Ljuljak
Ca: Lilà
Zh: 欧丁香
Hr: Obični jorgovan
Cs: Šeřík obecný, Orgován oby
Da: Almindelig Syren, Syren
Nl: Sering, Gewone Sering
Eo: Ordinara siringo
Et: Harilik sirel
Fi: Pihasyreeni
Fr: Lilas commun, Lilas, Lilas des jardins, Lilas vulgaire
Gl: Lila común
De: Gewöhnlicher Flieder, Flieder, Gartenflieder, Gemeiner Flieder, Lila, Wild Flieder
El: Πασχαλιά
Hu: Közönséges orgona, Kerti orgona
Ga: Craobh liathchorcra
It: Lilla, Serenella, Fior di maggio, Lill√†, Fior-di-maggio, Lillà
Ko: 라일락
Lv: Parastais ceriņš
Lt: Paprastoji alyva
Mk: Обичен јоргован, Jorgovan
Ml: സിരിങ വൾഗാരിസ്
Se: Sirena
No: Syrin
Nb: Syrin
Nn: Syrin
Fa: یاس خوشهای
Pl: Lilak pospolity
Ro: Liliac
Ru: Сирень обыкновенная
Sk: Orgován obyčajný
Es: Lila, Španski bezeg, Lila común, Lilo
Sv: Syren, Pihasyreeni, Vanlig syren
Zh-tw: 歐丁香
Tr: Hakiki leylak
Uk: Бузок звичайний
Cy: Lelog, Leilac
Synonyms
- Syringa cordifolia var. purpurascens (Stokes)
- Syringa vulgaris f. coerulea ((Weston) Schelle)
- Syringa vulgaris var. marlyensis (F.Neumann)
- Syringa vulgaris f. alba ((Weston) Voss)
- Syringa alba ((Weston) A.Dietr. ex Dippel)
- Syringa cordifolia (Stokes)
- Syringa rhodopea (Velen.)
- Lilac vulgaris var. purpurea ((Weston) Jacques & Hérincq)
- Syringa vulgaris var. virginalis (F.Neumann)
- Syringa vulgaris var. albiflora (Bluff & Fingerh.)
- Syringa vulgaris var. regia (St.-Lag.)
- Lilac caerulea ((Jonst.) Lunell)
- Syringa cordifolia var. caerulescens (Stokes)
- Liliacum album ((Weston) Renault)
- Syringa vulgaris var. lilacina (Sweet)
- Syringa vulgaris var. alba (Weston)
- Syringa vulgaris var. media (F.Neumann)
- Syringa vulgaris var. rubra (Lodd. ex Loudon)
- Syringa vulgaris var. sibbirica (F.Neumann)
- Syringa vulgaris duplex (Kuntze)
- Syringa vulgaris f. plena ((Oudin) Rehder)
- Lilac vulgaris var. alba ((Weston) Jacques & Hérincq)
- Syringa vulgaris f. violacea ((Aiton) Schelle)
- Syringa vulgaris var. rubra-maxima (F.Neumann)
- Syringa vulgaris f. albipleniflora (S.D.Zhao)
- Syringa vulgaris var. rhotomagensis (F.Neumann)
- Syringa vulgaris var. caroli (F.Neumann)
- Syringa lilac var. alba ((Weston) Thouin)
- Syringa nigricans (K.Koch)
- Syringa virginalis (K.Koch)
- Syringa caerulea (Jonst.)
- Syringa versaliensis (K.Koch)
- Syringa vulgaris var. pulchella (Velen.)
- Syringa vulgaris var. purpurea (Weston)
- Syringa vulgaris var. caerulea (Aiton)
- Lilac vulgaris var. coerulea ((Weston) Jacques & Hérincq)
- Liliacum vulgare ((L.) Renault)
- Lilac cordatifolia (Gilib.)
- Syringa cordifolia var. alba (Stokes)
- Syringa marliensis (K.Koch)
- Syringa vulgaris var. violacea (Aiton)
- Lilac vulgaris var. violacea ((Aiton) Jacques & Hérincq)
- Syringa vulgaris var. colmariensis (F.Neumann)
- Lilac vulgaris ((L.) Lam.)
- Syringa vulgaris var. macrantha (Borbás)
- Syringa lilac (Thouin)
- Syringa bicolor (K.Koch)
- Syringa carlsruhensis (K.Koch)
- Lilac suaveolens (Gilib.)
- Syringa vulgaris var. coerulea (Weston)
- Syringa albiflora (Opiz)
- Syringa vulgaris var. plena ((Oudin) Rehder)
- Syringa amoena (K.Koch)
- Syringa vulgaris var. transsilvanica (Schur)
- Syringa vulgaris plena (Oudin)
- Syringa vulgaris f. purpurea ((Weston) Schelle)
- Syringa latifolia (Salisb.)
- Syringa philemon (K.Koch)
- Syringa notgeri (K.Koch)
- Syringa lilac var. purpurea ((Weston) Thouin)
- Syringa vulgaris var. semiplena (F.Neumann)
- Syringa lilac var. violacea ((Aiton) Thouin)
Distribution
- Albania (native)
- Bulgaria (native)
- Greece (native)
- Romania (native)
- Yugoslavia (native)
- Argentina South (introduced)
- Arizona (introduced)
- Arkansas (introduced)
- Austria (introduced)
- Belgium (introduced)
- British Columbia (introduced)
- Central European Rus (introduced)
- Colorado (introduced)
- Connecticut (introduced)
- Czechoslovakia (introduced)
- District of Columbia (introduced)
- East European Russia (introduced)
- France (introduced)
- Germany (introduced)
- Great Britain (introduced)
- Hungary (introduced)
- Illinois (introduced)
- Indiana (introduced)
- Iowa (introduced)
- Ireland (introduced)
- Italy (introduced)
- Kansas (introduced)
- Kentucky (introduced)
- Korea (introduced)
- Krym (introduced)
- Maine (introduced)
- Maryland (introduced)
- Masachusettes (introduced)
- Michigan (introduced)
- Minnesota (introduced)
- Missouri (introduced)
- New Brunswick (introduced)
- New Hampshire (introduced)
- New Jersey (introduced)
- New Mexico (introduced)
- New York (introduced)
- North Carolina (introduced)
- Nova Scotia (introduced)
- Ohio (introduced)
- Oklahoma (introduced)
- Ontario (introduced)
- Pennsylvania (introduced)
- Poland (introduced)
- Primorye (introduced)
- Prince Edward I. (introduced)
- Québec (introduced)
- Rhode I. (introduced)
- Saskatchewan (introduced)
- South Dakota (introduced)
- South European Russi (introduced)
- Spain (introduced)
- Switzerland (introduced)
- Tennessee (introduced)
- Utah (introduced)
- Vermont (introduced)
- Virginia (introduced)
- West Virginia (introduced)
- Wisconsin (introduced)
Additional Images
Flower
Taken Apr 18, 2019 by juan llanos (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 15, 2017 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 11, 2018 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)
Taken Feb 23, 2018 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 28, 2019 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)
Fruit
Taken Jul 23, 2017 by Cruz Fer (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 11, 2018 by Cruz Fer (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 23, 2017 by Cruz Fer (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 11, 2018 by Cruz Fer (cc-by-sa)
Taken Feb 1, 2018 by Creu Lopez (cc-by-sa)
Leaf
Taken May 3, 2018 by Marcos Rivas Campoamor (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 20, 2018 by Fejul Xeto (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 23, 2018 by Fejul Xeto (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 27, 2021 by Sette V (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 12, 2018 by Tata Toure (cc-by-sa)
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Habit
Taken Apr 6, 2020 by david le nay (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 10, 2022 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 2, 2022 by Nathalie Potel (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 23, 2019 by Manuel Texereau (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 2, 2022 by Nathalie Potel (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken May 14, 2021 by Laura Folgheraiter (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 4, 2021 by Easger Aukema (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 24, 2021 by nimye (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 17, 2021 by nbx (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 16, 2022 by Gaël Covain (cc-by-sa)
Bark
Taken May 1, 2019 by Jim Hicks (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 13, 2020 by Ottavia (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 24, 2021 by Youkanthé ARULTHEVARATNAM (cc-by-sa)
Taken Feb 12, 2022 by Lars Mannzen (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 17, 2021 by Manuel Madrid (cc-by-sa)
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/5415039)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:289009-2)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Syringa vulgaris L.)
Specifications
Growth form: Rhizomatous
Growth habit: Shrub
Growth rate: Moderate
Growth
Ph maximum: 7.8
Ph minimum: 5.8
Light: 7
Atmospheric humidity: 5
Soil nutriments: 6