JAPANESE TREE LILAC - Syringa reticulata

JAPANESE TREE LILAC Syringa reticulata

green Outstanding Features:
Excellent small tree form. Showy creamy-white flowers for an extended period beginning in late June.

Description:
Height: 15-20'
Width: 12-15'
Hardiness Zone: 3a

Japanese Tree Lilac is an excellent oval shaped small tree. It produces large 5-6" clusters of small, fragrant, creamy-white flowers in late June-early July when few other trees are blooming. Plant crown is quite dense especially in young trees. Fruit is a capsule that turns from light green to brown as it matures. Bark is quite dark with noticeable white lenticels, resembling bark of cherry trees.

Requirements and Culture:
Japanese Tree Lilac are fairly tolerant of a range of soil conditions. They prefer full sun for best development. Fairly tolerant of salt.

Limitations:
No major insect or disease problems. Quite variable in growth rate and form when seedling grown.

Selected Cultivars:
'Ivory Silk'- is a dense headed oval plant form. Branches are ascending which allows it to be successfully used in smaller spaces.

'Summer Snow'- has a rounded crown form with dark, glossy green leaves.

Syringa pekinensis - Pekin Lilac is a related species that is also a nice tree form and blooms in summer with white flowers. It is not quite as hardy as S. reticulata.

Photo Credit: 1 DCTC; 2 Bailey Nurseries, Inc. 3 MLA. Photo 2 is 'Ivory Silk'.

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