Lilacs currently for sale:

Beauty of Moscow Lilac

A Vulgaris variety. Mauve pink in bud opening double white.
Availability Spring at the garden.

Donald Wyman

Prestonii A late purple lilac. Fast growing hardy older variety.
Availability Spring at the garden.

Mt Bakerii

Hyacinthefolia, very nice, early single petaled White Lilac,
Availability Spring at the garden.

Lilac Sunday

Syringa - Chinensis A nice orchid pink to lavender purple color with graceful arching branches. Reaches 8 to 12 feet in height.
OUT

Palibin Lilac

Palibin Lilac also known as Dwarf Korean Lilac.
A fantastic Lilac maturing quickly to only 5' tall by 5'wide.
Abundant midseason floral display.
The Lilac flowers have a strong sweet scent.
Light purple to lavender in color.
Availability Spring at the garden.

Assippi Lilac

Early hyacynthifolia Lilac.
Pinkish in bud and when first open.
Fades to a nice lavender
. A fast growing reliable bloomer.

Charles Joly Lilac

Dark Red Purple double Vulgaris lilac.
Availability Spring at the garden.

Pocahontas Lilac

Purple bi tone. Semi dwarf hyacinthefolia. Early blooming.
Availability Spring at the garden.

Miss Ellen Willmott

A Beautiful clean double white lilac.
Bloom time is mid season. Hardy in Zones 2-6

Availability Spring at the garden.

It's not surprising that Lilacs are high on the list of most memorable flowers. Their scent evokes flashbacks of Summers gone by. For many, Lilac flowers remind them of a loving Grandmother or the last few days before school let out for Summer vacation. A Lilac bush in your yard can help create good memories for today's youth and bring back a moment in time for the rest of us. Although the Lilac is one of North America's favorite flowers it is not a native. Most Lilac plants originated in Asia. Syringa Vulgaris our old fashion Lilac bush was first found in the mountains of eastern Europe. Longevity is a standard across the Lilac bush spectrum. Lilacs are easily pruned and maintained. There are early, midseason and late lilac cultivars.
The early Lilac bush plants, Hyacinthefolias, are very similar to the old fashion and French Vulgaris hybrid cultivars. The leaf and flower is almost identical but the early ones flower earlier ! Here in mid Maine it's ten days to two weeks earlier. Both have the true Lilacs scent.
Some cultivars of this family may bloom alternately light and heavy year to year. Never the less their earliness to flower and beauty make lilacs very desirable plants. Next the Syringa Vulgaris Lilacs open their flowers. Both the Common and French hybrid Lilac bushes are in this family. Growth habits of the Syringa Vulgaris Cultivars vary widely. In this family are some dwarf Lilacs and some very large growing lilac bushes. Most but not all flowers are scented with that old fashion Lilacs fragrance. The common purple Lilac bush is an aggressive grower.
Syringa Prestoni Lilacs Cultivars begin to open their flowers just as the Common and French Hybrids are fading. It's nice to have fresh flowers to continue the season for a couple more weeks. Most of the later cultivars have a long narrow oval shape leaf instead of the more familiar heart shape leaf of Vulgaris and Hyacinthefolia lilacs. The florets on later Lilac flowers are more elongated and tubular than Vulgaris or Hyacinthefolia.
Most of the Prestoni Lilac bush plants are scented but it's not the traditional fragrance that we are use to. Light and flowery would best describe the fragrance of the late lilacs. Here in the Northeast the late Lilacs bloom in perfect time with Rosa Rugusa Roses. Planted in close proximity to one another each compliments the other.

By planting early, midseason and late Lilac bushes you can enjoy these most favored Spring bloomers for about six weeks.
There are several Lilac bushes that flower in between the time of those already mention. Josikea, Meyeri Paliban and Syringa Patula are each worthy and beautiful. The Josekia is a pink Lilacs with large fluffy panicles and unusual large oval leaves..
Meyeri Paliban is better known as the Korean Dwarf Lilac. Growing only five foot tall this one will fit into most home yards. It's flowers are intensely fragrant. A naturally round shape growth habit and round leaves distinguish the Paliban Lilacs.
Syringa Patula also known as Miss Kim lilacs has been used widely in populated areas. Parking lots and shopping malls have all benefited from this sturdy mid sized Lilac bush. The blossom fragrance is mild and flowery. Last to bloom is the wonderful Japanese Lilac Tree. After all the others have faded the Japanese Tree Lilac lights up with fluffy creamy white flowers of heavenly fragrance. In the evening it's scent drifts across the yard on gentle breezes.
All the Lilacs make good specimen plants as well as hedges. A minimum of 6 hours direct sun is needed for a Lilac bush to produce flower buds. Eight hours or more of sunlight a day is best. Lilac plants need a well drained location they do not like standing in water. Alkalinity should be between 6 and 7

Lilacs Forever
is an internet branch office of
Blue Hill Country Garden
in Blue Hill, Maine



Lilacs bloom in the spring.
Lilacs are a perennial deciduous shrub.
Lilacs bloom in early, midseason & late varieties.
Lilacs come in many colors but I have never seen an orange Lilac.