What is a Lilac?
A lilac is a shrub or tree in the genus Syringa, native to Eastern Europe and the temperate regions of Western Asia. Lilacs are immensely popular in gardens all over the world, and some cultures have specific associations with these aromatic, brief-blooming flowers. Many garden supply stores in temperate zones carry lilacs, often with several cultivars on offer, and it is also possible to order lilacs directly through nurseries which specialize in these trees and shrubs. With over 200 named lilac cultivars to choose from, gardeners have a great deal to work with. Lilacs are deciduous, producing deep green, simple leaves in the spring which eventually change color and drop off in the fall. Their flowers may be white to purple, with a particularly distinctive purple shade being known as “lilac.” Lilacs usually produce cone-shaped clusters of flowers which may appear in the late spring or midsummer, depending on the region and the cultivar, and the flowers often fade quickly. The aroma of
they are a shrub the size of a big tree”+) There are all kinds,some double flowered,all different colours.and best of ALL THEY SMELL,MMMMMMMMMMMMMBEAUTIFUL. By most accounts, there are over one thousand varieties of lilacs. That’s right, over one thousand varieties! Lilacs originate in the Balkans and Eastern Europe. There are also a large variety of Asian Lilacs. Lilac lovers enjoy a wide range of colors, sizes and types of blooms. The most common Lilac colors are “Lilac”, lavender, white, pink, blue, and purple. There is single and double petal varieties. Bushes can grow tall, as much as 30 feet. And, there are dwarf sizes which only grow about three feet high. The largest collection of them in one place is Highland Park in Rochester, N.Y. which boasts over 500 varieties.
