Lilacs – The Ultimate Growing Guide from Proven Winners®

Lilac bushes bloom best in full sun, which is at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Too much shade will result in fewer blooms and increased risk of fungal diseases.

How to Plant and Grow Lilac

These sweetly scented hardy harbingers of spring come in many sizes and flower colors.

Nadia Hassani is a gardening and food writer with more than two decades of hands-on gardening experience in vegetable and fruit gardening, landscaping with native plants, and garden design.

With sweetly scented, pastel blooms and heart-shaped leaves, lilacs stand out in the landscape as welcome harbingers of spring. These plants come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including dwarf and midsize shrubs, and small trees with showy bark. Consider planting multiple types of lilacs with a range of bloom times and colors to enjoy several weeks of attractive flowers and fragrances.

Lilac Shrubs Overview

Genus Name	Syringa
Common Name	Lilac Shrubs
Plant Type	Shrub
Light	Part Sun, Sun
Height	3 to 25 feet
Width	3 to 20 feet
Flower Color	Blue, Pink, Purple, White
Foliage Color	Blue/Green
Season Features	Colorful Fall Foliage, Spring Bloom, Summer Bloom
Special Features	Attracts Birds, Cut Flowers, Fragrance, Low Maintenance
Zones	2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Propagation	Stem Cuttings
Problem Solvers	Drought Tolerant, Good For Privacy

Where to Plant Lilac

Because lilacs come in a large range of sizes, from dwarf lilacs to tree lilacs, matching the variety to the available space in your yard is crucial. What all lilacs have in common, however, is that they need full sun and moist, well-drained, neutral to slightly alkaline soil (pH around 7.0) Lilacs are hardy shrubs that do better in a cooler than in a hot climate.

Lilac can be planted as a specimen, mass-planted in groups or rows, and even grown as a hedge for privacy.

How and When to Plant Lilac

Lilac can be planted in the spring or in the fall, which is preferable because the warm soil encourages more root growth.

Dig a hole at least twice the diameter of the nursery container and about 3 inches deeper. Place the root ball in the hole and spread out the roots. Backfill with the original soil. Mulch around the base and water well.

The spacing depends on the variety; it can range between 5 feet for small types to 15 feet for large lilacs.

Lilac Care Tips

Light

For best results, most lilacs, including common, dwarf, or tree lilacs, do best in full sun. Common lilacs can adapt to part shade, but it comes at the price of fewer flowers. Shady conditions also encourage powdery mildew, a frequent disease in lilacs.

Soil and Water

The planting site should have well-drained, evenly moist soil that is neutral to slightly alkaline. Lilacs are able to withstand dry conditions once they have been established.

Temperature and Humidity

Lilacs are very hardy shrubs that can grow as low as in zone 2. One problem that can occur in cold climates is that when there are warm spells in the early spring, followed by frost periods, the flower buds (which already formed the year before) might be killed by the frost.

The plants are not well-suited for hot climates above zone 8. A very humid climate is equally problematic because it provides ideal conditions for the spread of powdery mildew.

Fertilizer

Once a year, in the early spring before new growth starts, fertilize your lilac with a complete balanced (10-10-10) fertilizer, preferably slow-release granular fertilizer. Too much fertilizer diminishes the bloom.

Pruning

Regular pruning of a lilac bush is important to increase the airflow within the plants. Lilacs bloom on old wood, so prune them in the spring after the flower show is over for the season. Dead, diseased, or broken branches can be pruned any time of the year.

Potting and Repotting Lilac

With the exception of dwarf lilac varieties, lilacs are too tall and wide to be planted in containers; the best place for them is in the landscape. To plant a dwarf lilac in a container, pick a heavyweight pot such as terra-cotta that is less likely to topple over. Make sure it has large drainage holes. Fill it with a combination of potting mix and compost. Keep in mind that, unlike in-ground lilacs, container plants need frequent watering.

Pests and Problems

Lilacs are delightfully free of pests and diseases. The only common problem, which makes the shrub unsightly for a while but won’t kill it, is powdery mildew. It appears increasingly in mid to late summer, especially in hot, humid weather.

How to Propagate Lilac

Lilac bushes spread freely via shoots around the base of the plant so you should have no trouble propagating it. In the late spring or early summer, dig up a shoot, taking care to keep the roots intact. Sever the shoot from the main plant and replant it in a container filled with damp potting soil or directly in garden soil. You can dust the bottom third with rooting hormone powder but it’s not required. However, keeping the shoot moist at all times is important. In a few weeks to a couple of months, you should see new growth, which is a sign that new roots are forming.

Types of Lilac

The common lilac (with which most people associate the fragrance) is the species Syringa vulgaris. Native to Europe, this deciduous shrub was brought to the United States by colonists who could not imagine living without the plant’s pleasing scent. The common lilac reaches 8 to 12 feet high and 6 to 10 feet wide, with dark green leaves, purple flowers, and brownish-gray to gray bark. This type of lilac works well as a single specimen planting or in groups as screens, hedges, or shrub borders. Hundreds of cultivars boast a range of floral colors that include purple, blue-purple, lavender, magenta, reddish-purple, pink, and white.

Dwarf lilac varieties are smaller in scale than the common lilac but offer similar flower colors and scents. These shrubs reach 4 to 6 feet in height, which makes them suitable plants for small gardens and even containers. With their compact branching, the dwarf plants can be trained as hedges and topiaries. Their tighter growth habit requires less time and maintenance than the common lilac. The Meyer lilac, or dwarf Korean lilac, is one of the better known varieties. Four feet high and 5 feet wide, this little shrub produces dark violet flowers. Some varieties boast spectacular fall foliage in shades of orange, yellow, and burgundy.

Japanese tree lilac reaches 20 to 30 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide, proportions that make it a good choice for street plantings and hedges, or as a screen along property lines. This lilac produces fragrant creamy-white flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds in late spring to early summer, a little later than the shrub lilacs. It also boasts dark green leaves and showy reddish-brown bark that peels as the tree ages, making it an interesting visual to enjoy in winter.

‘Angel White’ Lilac

Syringa vulgaris ‘Angel White’ bears large trusses of strongly fragrant white flowers. This selection tolerates heat better than most. It grows 12 feet tall and 10 feet wide. Zones 3-9

Bloomerang Lilac

Syringa ‘Penda’ offers clusters of fragrant purple flowers in spring, then again from summer to fall. It grows 5 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Zones 3-7

Dwarf Korean Lilac

Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’ is a compact variety that grows 4 to 6 feet tall and wide, with small, dark green foliage. It blooms early, bearing fragrant panicles of light lavender-pink flowers. Zones 4-7

‘Edith Cavell’ Lilac

Syringa vulargaris ‘Edith Cavell’ bears large clusters of double, creamy-white flowers in spring. It grows 25 feet tall and wide. Zones 4-8

‘Frederick Law Olmstead’ Lilac

Syringa vulgaris ‘Frederick Law Olmstead’ bears dense panicles of single white flowers on a shrub growing 22 feet tall and wide. Zones 4-8

‘George Eastman’ Lilac

Syringa julianae ‘George Eastman’ is a dwarf type that grows 6 feet tall and wide and produces loose clusters of long, tubular deep pink florets from wine-red buds. Zones 2-7

‘Miss Kim’ Lilac

Syringa pubescens subsp. patula ‘Miss Kim’) is a dwarf, late-blooming lilac, to 8 feet tall and 10 feet wide that produces erect clusters of pale lilac-blue flowers. Zones 5-8.

‘Mount Baker’ Lilac

Syringa hyacinthiflora ‘Mount Baker’ is an early flowering variety with broad leaves that deepen to purple in fall and large, single white flowers. It grows 15 feet tall and wide. Zones 3-7

‘Pink Perfume’ Bloomerang Lilac

Syringa x ‘Pink Perfume’ is an addition to the Bloomerang series. This compact lilac bears fragrant pink flowers in spring, then reblooms from midsummer through fall. Zones 3-7

‘Pocahontas’ Lilac

Syringa hyacinthiflora ‘Pocahontas’ is an early flowering type with broad leaves and large flower spikes composed of richly scented, deep purple florets. It grows 15 feet tall and wide. Zones 3-7

‘President Lincoln’ Lilac

Syringa vulgaris ‘President Lincoln’ bears single, deep purple flowers that are very fragrant on a shrub that grows 22 feet tall and wide. Zones 4-8

‘Saugeana’ Lilac

Syringa x chinensis ‘Saugeana’ bears slightly nodding clusters of fragrant reddish purple flowers in late spring. It grows 15 feet tall and wide. Zones 5-8

‘Sensation’ Lilac

Syringa vulgaris ‘Sensation’ is a fast-growing shrub that bears spikes of single lavender flowers edged in white that shine from a distance. It grows 22 feet tall and wide. Zones 4-8

Frequently Asked Questions

Some lilac varieties, such as the Japanese tree lilac, look like a tree. However, lilacs are generally considered shrubs or bushes. Through pruning, you can make them appear more like a shrub with multiple stems or like a tree with a single trunk.

No, lilacs are native to eastern Europe and temperate Asia. They were introduced to the United States by colonists so they have been an integral part of American landscaping for centuries.

Lilacs are very hardy shrubs that need no winterization or covering even in locations with subzero winters. That does not mean that they don’t suffer damage in extreme temperature fluctuations, such as a warm spell during the winter following by extreme cold, which can damage the flower buds. If you live in an area with very cold winters, plant your lilac in a spot where it is somewhat protected from icy winter winds, such as on the south side of a house.

Lilacs – The Ultimate Growing Guide from Proven Winners ®

Lilacs evoke nostalgic memories of your grandmother’s garden, with sweetly fragrant flowers that are a welcome harbinger of spring. Cone-shaped clusters of tiny single or double flowers occur in shades of white, purple, lavender, pink or blue.

A staple garden shrub in northern climates, common lilac varieties are hardy in USDA zones 3-7/8. The heart-shaped deciduous green leaves and attractive growth habit make lilac bush a valuable addition to borders and foundation plantings. Lilacs can also be used as hedging, screening, as a focal point, or in containers.

PLANTING and CARING FOR LILACS

How to plant: Choose a site that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. Follow these steps to growing lilacs and space plants 3 to 15 feet apart, depending on the variety.

1. Loosen soil in the planting area and dig a hole twice as wide and slightly deeper than the root ball.
2. Remove plant from its container and tease out roots if potbound.
3. Set the plant in the hole and spread out roots.
4. Backfill the hole with compost mixed in with the existing soil and tamp down slightly to remove air pockets. Water well.

Soil: Well-drained soils are imperative for lilacs; they cannot tolerate wet conditions, even for short periods. They prefer soil pH to be on the alkaline side, but tolerate neutral to slightly acidic soils as well. If growing in containers, use a high-quality all-purpose potting mix.

Watering: Provide regular water during the first growing season, until roots are established. Mature plants need little supplemental water except during extended periods of dry weather. Avoid wet or soggy conditions.

Fertilizing: If desired, apply a granular (not liquid) fertilizer formulated for woody plants in late winter/early spring.

Pruning: Lilacs bloom on old wood, so should only be pruned immediately after blooming. At that point, it can be trimmed, shaped, or thinned. Any suckers are best removed in mid-late summer, as that minimizes their recurrence. Reblooming lilacs like the Bloomerang series can be trimmed immediately after their spring bloom. Bloomerang lilacs will rebloom whether or not they are trimmed, however, many people prefer the neater look of a trimmed plant.

TRY THESE PROVEN WINNERS ® VARIETIES

Add these lilac varieties to your landscape:

Bloomerang ® Dark Purple (Syringa x) is a deer- and disease-resistant medium-sized variety with a neat rounded habit. Large dark purple buds open to lavender flowers. Plants bloom for weeks from mid to late spring, with rebloom from mid to late summer until frost.

Bloomerang ® Dwarf Purple (Syringa x) has a dwarf mounding habit—just 3 feet tall and wide— that is suitable for small spaces, containers and hedging. Dark lavender flower buds open to lavender blooms. Flowers appear in late spring, and again from summer into fall. Good disease and deer resistance.

Bloomerang ® Dwarf Pink (Syringa x) grows 3 feet tall and wide, with a rounded habit that’s perfect for containers, low hedging or mass plantings. Vigorous plants produce delicate bright pink flowers that are deliciously fragrant. Disease and deer resistant.

LILAC FAQ’s

When do lilacs bloom?

Lilacs flower from mid to late spring, depending on the variety. Bloomerang lilacs will rebloom from mid to late summer into fall.

When to prune lilacs?

Lilacs bloom on old wood, so they should be pruned just after flowering. If you wait until summer or later to prune, you may experience a loss of flowers the following year.

When to plant lilac bushes?

Plant them during the cooler months of spring or fall to reduce plant stress.

How fast do lilacs grow?

Average growth rate for lilacs is moderate, 1 to 2 feet per year. Dwarf varieties may grow more slowly.

Do lilacs need full sun?

Lilac bushes bloom best in full sun, which is at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Too much shade will result in fewer blooms and increased risk of fungal diseases.

How big does lilac bush get?

Plant size ranges from dwarf types 2 to 3 feet tall to larger varieties 15 to 30 feet tall that can be regarded as a small tree.

Are lilacs evergreen?

Lilacs are deciduous shrubs, losing their leaves in fall.

I live in a hot climate, can I grow lilacs?

Though lilacs are very cold tolerant, they do not do well in hot areas. Even if the plant itself survives, it will bloom little if at all, because the plant needs exposure to cold temperatures, called “chilling,” in order to develop its flower buds. This typically does not occur in areas hotter than USDA zone 7 or 8 (depending on the variety – some lilacs, like the Scentara series, have reduced chilling requirements).

HOW TO USE LILAC IN YOUR LANDSCAPE

Here’s how to use lilac bush in your yard.

• Place near an entryway or along a path where the fragrance and flowers can be enjoyed up close.
• Plant a hedge of lilacs along a property line.
• Use a dwarf variety in a container, by itself or in combination with spring-blooming bulbs.
• Add lilac bush to a mixed border alongside other spring-blooming trees, shrubs, perennials and bulbs.
• Plant in an island bed surrounded by spring flowers such as columbine, phlox, daffodils and tulips.
• Add lilac to a cottage-style garden to augment other shrubs, trees and perennials.
• Plant early, middle, late and repeat-blooming varieties for a succession of seasonal color.
• Incorporate repeat-blooming varieties into a fall border.
• Use a small to medium variety in a foundation planting in combination with other shrubs that bloom at different times for season-long color.

LILAC COMPANION PLANTS

Plant lilac with other shrubs, trees, perennials and bulbs for a symphony of color.

Combine with other shrubs and foundation plants that bloom at different times, such as:

• Sonic Bloom ® Pink reblooming weigela
• Double Play Big Bang ® spirea
• Little Lime ® panicle hydrangea
• Sunshine Blue ® II bluebeard

Combine in a mixed border with:

• Golden Shadows ® pagoda dogwood
• Illuminati Arch ® mock orange
• ‘Sweet Summer Love’ clematis
• Happy Ever Appster ™ Red Hot Returns reblooming daylily

Underplant with spring-blooming bulbs and perennials such as:

• ‘Pink Diamonds’ fern-leaved bleeding heart
• ‘Liberty’ hosta
• Dolce ® ‘Wildberry’ coral bells
• ‘Pretty in Pink’ lungwort