Common Lilac

Scientific Name: Syringa vulgaris

Family: Oleaceae

Origin: Balkan Peninsula

Flowers and Leaves of the Common Lilac

Why is it called Lilac? Lilac is an old English word that comes from the Arabic word layak and the Persian word nilak.  nil means “blue.” The genus name syringa means “tube” in Greek which describes the shape of the flower.

Common Names: Common lilac, French lilac and English lilac

Mature Height: 8-12 feet

Mature Width/Spread: 6-10 feet

Leaves: This shrub has simple ovate leaves that are 2 to 5 inches long, have a dark blue-green color on the top side, and are pale green on the undersurface.

Flowers? Yes. They typically bloom in mid-May, spreading lilac/purple buds that eventually open to fragrant small flowers, or florets. The flowers are in loose-branching clusters called pannicles.

Did you know …

  • These trees often provide cover for birds and butterflies. They also provide caterpillars with a source of food.
  • The purple lilacs have been used to signify love, and white lilacs signify youth and purity.
Leaves of the Common Lilac
Leaves of the Common Lilac