Lilac Syringa

Lilac: A Field Guide

Syringa is a flowering and divinely scented woody genus that thrives in temperate growing zones (such as your grandmother’s garden, where you may remember a lilac bush next to the peonies).

A well-established lilac has a strong scent, which some say is the essence of springtime and others call the perfume of nostalgia. With hundreds of species, Syringa is not difficult to grow at home, but it certainly needs its space. A lilac bush can grow five to 15 feet tall, depending on the variety, and is well-placed as a foundation plant or beneath a window (where the fragrance can waft indoors).