General Description/History

Another popular garden plant that is also used as a cut flower. Lilac bushes produce cone-shaped flower spikes at the tips of the branches each spring. Each spike is made up of dozens of small flowers (about 1 cm across) with 4 petals, which come in white, mauve, violet or pink. Flowers are heavily perfumed, and the purple-flowered varieties have the strongest scent.

What to look for

• Buy when at least 1/2 the flowers are open and showing full colour as buds do not open in the vase;
• Buy bunches with strong perfume;
• Shake bunches late in the season (spring) and avoid those with flower drop.

Flower Care

1. Keep cool at all times.
2. Strip leaves from the lower half of each stem and wash stem ends thoroughly.
3. Flowers last longer if most of the leaves are stripped from each branch.
4. Recut at least 2 cm off each stem and place in water immediately.
5. Do not bash or split stems.
6. Always use a preservative as this will help maintain the perfume.
7. Replace vase water with fresh preservative every day.
8. Lilac is very sensitive to ethylene. Keep them away from fruit, car exhausts and cigarette smoke.

Interesting Facts about this Flower

Lilacs are popular garden plants, but they only flower if left unpruned.

Botanical Name: Syringa vulgaris

Common Names: Lilac

Stem Length: 30 to 60 cm

Country of Origin: Europe

Available Colours: Purple, White, Pink

Season: Spring

Availability: September,October,November