Syringa (Oleaceae) – Lilac, French Lilac

A genus of about twelve species which includes small- and medium-sized shrubs and some which eventually become tree-like. The majority may be described as strong, often suckering, shrubs. Distributed in the northern hemisphere, they occur from S. E. Europe to China and Japan. They are virtually all showy flowering shrubs, many also having strong fragrance. Syringa vulgaris has dominated the types in cultivation and possibly over 2000 cultivars, otherwise known as French Lilacs, have been selected and named. The most compatible combination for Syringa vulgaris cultivars is to use S. vulgaris seedlings as rootstocks; unfortunately, this immediately initiates the potential for a long-term rootstock suckering problem. Splice, apical veneer and wedge grafts may be used. Side veneer grafts are employed for top-worked plants and cuttings-grafts. Ideally, scions should be gathered only from stock mother plants regularly pruned to keep them in a vegetative state with minimal flower bud production.