Lilac
Syringa vulgaris
Family: Oleaceae · Also called Common Lilac, French Lilac, Syringa cordifolia var. purpurascens, Syringa vulgaris f. coerulea, Syringa vulgaris var. marlyensis
Floral · Spring bloomer
The lilac announces spring with an authority no other flower can match. Its dense, pyramidal clusters of tiny four-petaled flowers release one of the most beloved and evocative fragrances in the garden, a scent so specific and so deeply tied to memory that it can transport people back decades in an instant. Lilacs are remarkably long-lived, with some specimens in New England over 300 years old.
first love, spring, confidence, memory
In the Victorian language of flowers, lilac means “First emotions of love”. In Victorian flower language, a gift of lilacs was a reminder of first love. The lilac was introduced to North America by European colonists in the 1750s and became deeply associated with New England. Walt Whitman's elegy for Abraham Lincoln, 'When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd,' cemented the flower in American literary consciousness.
Did You Know?
Despite its powerful fragrance, lilac scent is almost impossible to capture through traditional distillation, the essential oil degrades rapidly. Most 'lilac' fragrances are recreations using synthetic molecules. A lilac bush can live for centuries and still bloom profusely.
Rocky hillsides and open woodlands of the Balkans and Carpathian mountains
Lilac is native to Southeastern Europe. It naturally grows in rocky hillsides and open woodlands of the balkans and carpathian mountains.
Scent Profile
“A lush, honeyed sweetness with green and slightly spicy facets, the quintessential scent of late spring, deeply nostalgic.”
Quick Reference
- Scientific NameSyringa vulgaris
- FamilyOleaceae
- Native ToSoutheastern Europe
- Bloom SeasonSpring
- LifespanPerennial
Cultural Significance
In Victorian flower language, a gift of lilacs was a reminder of first love. The lilac was introduced to North America by European colonists in the 1750s and became deeply associated with New England. Walt Whitman's elegy for Abraham Lincoln, 'When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd,' cemented the flower in American literary consciousness.