Lilac

Common lilac is an old-fashioned shrub with very fragrant clusters of purple flowers in May. It needs full sun, good drainage, and cold winters, so it does best in the cooler parts of our area.

At a Glance

Plant type	Deciduous flowering shrub
Family	Olive family (Oleaceae)
Other names	Common lilac, French lilac, English lilac
Native range	The Balkan Peninsula of southeastern Europe. Not native to North America.
Mature height	8 to 16 feet
Mature spread	6 to 12 feet
Flowers	Very fragrant purple to lilac flowers in cone-shaped clusters up to 8 inches long. May. Cultivars also come in white, pink, blue, and other shades.

Growing Conditions

USDA hardiness zones	3 to 7
Sun	Full sun. Avoid shady sites.
Soil	Well-drained soil. Tolerates clay, but not highly acidic or poorly drained soil.
Soil pH	Neutral to alkaline
Water	Medium. Moist but well-drained. Tolerates occasional drought but not wet sites.
Tolerates	Clay, salt, deer, rabbits, occasional drought
Does poorly with	Wet soil, shade, highly acidic soil, late spring frost (can kill the flower buds)

Will It Grow Here?

In parts of our area. Lilac is hardy in zones 3 to 7. Find your zone in the table below.

Zones in Southwest Missouri, Northwest Arkansas, Northeast Oklahoma, and Southeast Kansas

Zone	Grows here?	Towns in this zone
6b (our farm)	Yes	Lebanon, MO; Bolivar, MO; Iola, KS; Garnett, KS
7a	Yes	Springfield, MO; Joplin, MO; Fayetteville, AR; Bentonville, AR
7b	Yes	Harrison, AR; Tulsa, OK; Broken Arrow, OK; Tahlequah, OK
8a	No, too warm	Van Buren, AR; Alma, AR

Not sure which zone you're in? Look up your ZIP code on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (opens in a new tab).

• Missouri zone map (full size, opens in a new tab)
• Arkansas zone map (full size, opens in a new tab)
• Oklahoma zone map (full size, opens in a new tab)
• Kansas zone map (full size, opens in a new tab)

Plant Patent

Our supplier sells this as common lilac and doesn't list a named variety or patent. Check the plant tag before propagating.

About the Lilac

Common lilac comes from the Balkan Peninsula of southeastern Europe. In May it’s covered in cone-shaped clusters of purple flowers with a strong, sweet fragrance. Some people find the scent overpowering.

Lilac does best where winters are cold, because it needs a long winter chill. Its hardiness range ends at zone 7, so the warmest part of our area (zone 8a) is outside it. One source lists it only through zone 7a.

Choosing a Spot

• Full sun. Avoid shade.
• Good drainage. It won’t tolerate wet sites or poorly drained soil, or highly acidic soil.
• Shelter from late frost. A late spring frost can kill the flower buds, so a protected site helps.
• Room. It grows 8 to 16 feet tall and 6 to 12 feet wide.

Planting

1. Dig wide, not deep. Make the hole at least 1 1/2 to 2 times as wide as the root ball and only as deep. In poorly drained or compacted soil, make it 3 to 4 times as wide and not quite as deep.
2. Set the top of the root ball even with the surrounding soil or slightly above. Planting even 3 inches too deep lets water collect around the roots.
3. Slice circling roots. If roots circle the outside of the root ball, make three or four cuts an inch or two deep from top to bottom.
4. Backfill with the soil you dug out. Amendments usually aren’t needed.
5. Skip fertilizer at planting, and water right away.

Watering

New plants establish fastest with light, frequent watering. In summer a new shrub may need water several times a week. Overwatering kills as easily as drought, so feel the soil before you water. Once established, it tolerates occasional drought.

Mulch and Fertilizer

Spread organic mulch no more than 3 inches deep after it settles, and keep it off the stems. Fertilize only if a soil test calls for it.

Pruning

Prune right after it flowers. Lilac blooms on old wood, so pruning later cuts off next year’s flowers. Thin the center of the plant to improve air flow. Most lilacs are grafted, so remove suckers coming up from the rootstock.

Common Problems

• Powdery mildew: A white coating on the leaves in summer. It looks bad but does little lasting damage.
• Lilac borer: One of its most common pests.
• Verticillium wilt and other blights and leaf spots.
• Other insects: Scale, leaf miners, thrips, and caterpillars.
• Frost-killed buds: A late spring frost can kill the flower buds.

Availability*

*Currently out of stock until Spring 2027.

Our nursery stock changes through the season. Contact us to check what we have on hand, current sizes, and pricing.

Sources

Growing information on this page was checked against these public references:

• Syringa vulgaris (North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox) (opens in a new tab)
• Common lilac (The Morton Arboretum) (opens in a new tab)
• Planting a Tree or a Shrub, FSA-6128 (University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension) (opens in a new tab)

Disclaimer: The information on this page is based on publicly available knowledge and research. Individual results may vary.

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