Plant Profile: five unusual lilacs!

This week on The Horti-Culturalists, spring is springing and we're taking a look at a classic bloom out at this time; lilac! But Stephen has some very firm ideas about just what he's prepared to offer space to in his garden so we'll be looking at some interesting species Syringa and some of the earlier hybrids, all of which have better form than the more common hybrids, have better foliage and in some cases good Autumn colour, and all take up less space! And many thanks to Cathy Newing for letting us wander about her fabulous garden - and offering Stephen a cutting of the mauve form of Syringa × persica!
The plants we cover in this video are:
Syringa × persica - The Persian lilac
Syringa meyeri 'Palibin' - Dwarf Korean lilac
Syringa pubescens subsp. patula 'Miss Kim'
Syringa × chinensis - the Rouen Lilac
Syringa vulgaris 'Primrose'
Syringa afghanica - The Cut Leaf Lilac

[timv.]

Recollections of my youth during springtime in Chicago walking the alleyways to and from school, seemed like every Chicagoland backyard had a lilac in the ‘70s. I swear I can smell them thru my phone. Thanx for the memories

[jenjoy]

I have a Syringa Meyeri Palibin in my front yard. Thank you for helping me identify this plant. I’m in Wisconsin and there are a lot of Lilacs grown here but this one is different. It’s quite old and has grown into a huge bush providing screening between the street and my garden gate. It’s perfume in spring is amazing.

[orchidgarden]

Love that while it’s turning dark and cold here in Michigan in the US, it’s spring there! I’ll have to live vicariously through you all for now 😁

[xanderrobertson-tr]

Here in the PNW we have some Preston Hybrid Lilacs. They have larger leaves and bloom later in the spring. I believe the one we are growing is called Syringa 'Minuet'.

[raymondlawrence]

I planted a Rouen Lilac a few months ago and it’s just a small plant but I am now so excited to see it grow into maturity. What a fantastic video!

[mellfraze]

I really appreciate this dive into species lilacs.

I don't like the strong fragrance of the commonly available hybrids so I've never grown them & even tore out the one that was in the garden when we bought our house. I think I might try one of these species varieties as I do love the look of lilacs & would love to have a lilac if I can have one without an overpowering fragrance. Saving this to refer back to next spring as I'm in northern California zone 9b with a Mediterranean climate but lilacs seem to do well here despite the very mild winter.

[joanne-etpm]

Thanks Stephen & Matt for another great video so interesting ur knowledge on plants Stephen is incredible
Thanks again guys
Jo-Anne

[kathybradley]

Hi Stephen, I have a lilac that was sold as mauve flowering Syringa x persica (I adore the white that you have!). However, looking at yours and Kathy's lovely specimens I am doubting the accuracy as it is much more upright and doesn't have that beautiful delicacy. I think the leaves are right but the leaf cutter bees have a particular preference for it so I don't get to see it in full leaf lol ! :) I would love to strike some but have not had any luck and online searching suggests that it is hard to strike. I am hoping that by "swap" you mean take cuttings from Kathy's? When you do, I would very much love if you shared your striking journey! Maybe I can pick up some lilac-specific hot tips! :) xxKathy

[Eva_noir.]

Can't wait to see my lilac blooming next spring😭
I'm in my mood cause dark snowy winter is coming💀

[jeanneclark]

I'm sorry I live in oh-so-humid Indiana in the US. I would love to grow some of these!

[matteosollecito]

The white Japanese tree lilacs are becoming common as a street tree in the New York area. People are not taking care of them well on the planting strips though and many don’t look very well.

[jipowap]

My kingdom for the 'why' of Primrose being Yellow. It does not seem to be genetic, as the multitude of cultivars derived from it are without the tint. Perhaps it is like Sensation, an odd chimera with its yellow component never coming to seed.
I'd love to see the color wheel completed with a nice _orange_ Lilac. Let it lead the charge of a battalion of tiger lilies.

[bernardkeays]

I'm enjoying the jacket but the glasses aren't outlandish enough.

[kerryjean]

I very recently bought a Paddy's Lilac only because the price was marked down. Once I got it planted into a quite tall tapered pot, I discovered the label mentioned was actually named after Paddy Vadoulis whom I suspect must be Milton Vadoulis' dad, and whom also must have been the original owner of Vadoulis Garden Centre at Gawler, South Australia. I noticed a much smaller plantlet a, couple weeks later at the base of the plant of which I plucked out and popped into the ground near the base of the pot. That must have been a week or so ago, is still living and so I now am wondering if it is a 'sucker' as mentioned?

[robyn-rg]

I bought a lilac for my garden many years ago. I read up on it before planting and, if I remember, I had to plant the lilac so the graft union would be below soil level. Sadly ... Maybe I should try again, but with a more interesting variety. 👍 another interesting video. Thank you. ❤ 🦘🦘🦘🦘🦘 p.s. I'd be very interested in a video about prostanthera (not sure of the plural!). I have one, in particular, which flowers profusely for several weeks and has a dark purple flower along with a magnificent scent. The fragrance varies between species and, next to the scent of eucalypt, seems to epitomise everything Australia for me.