General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Shrub
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Slightly alkaline (7.4 – 7.8)
Moderately alkaline (7.9 – 8.4)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 4a -34.4 °C (-30 °F) to -31.7 °C (-25 °F)
Plant Height: 4 to 8 feet
Plant Spread: 5 to 10 feet
Leaves: Deciduous
Flowers: Showy
Fragrant
Blooms on old wood
Flower Color: Lavender
Bloom Size: 1"-2"
Flower Time: Spring
Underground structures: Taproot
Uses: Windbreak or Hedge
Wildlife Attractant: Butterflies
Resistances: Deer Resistant
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem
Awards and Recognitions: RHS AGM

Image
Common names
  • Persian Lilac
  • Lilac
  • Cut-Leaf Lilac
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Syringa persica
  • Synonym: Syringa protolaciniata
  • Synonym: Syringa laciniata
  • Synonym: Syringa afghanica

Photo Gallery
Location: East San Joaquin County, CA
Date: 2017-03-22
Entire plant
Location: East San Joaquin County, CA
Date: 2017-10-14
bloom
Photo by MaryDurtschi

Date: 2018-05-21
Location: Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2010-04-19
close-up of flower clusters
Location: Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2018-05-12
full-grown shrub in bloom
Location: Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2010-04-19
mature shrub in flower
Location: Aurora, Illinois
Date: May in 1980's
full-grown shrub in bloom with other plants
Photo by DancingGenes
Comments:
  • Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on May 18, 2018 7:31 PM concerning plant:
    The Persian Lilac is a hybrid between the Afghan Lilac x the Cutleaf Lilac from central Asia and is almost completely sterile, not bearing dehiscent brown capsules. It has small, spearhead leaves about 1 to 3 inches long x 1/2 to 1 inch wide. The lilac-colored flower clusters are looser than those of the Common Lilac and are just as fragrant, and can also be used as cut flowers in a vase. Some are still sold at most larger nurseries in the Chicago area. Not nearly as frequently planted as the Common Lilac. I just find it here and there occasionally. It is a nice larger shrub usually about 8 to 10 feet high. The leaves often get mildew in late summer and fall; not having any autumn color like most other lilacs. (There is a good possibility that the Persian Lilac that is occasionally sold by conventional nurseries is really the Rouen Lilac (Syringa x rothomagensis) (also called the Chinese Lilac of Syringa x chinensis, though not from China) that is a hybrid of the Persian Lilac x the Common Lilac that occurred in Rouen, France in 1777. The Rouen Lilac gets 8 to 15 feet high and bears flower clusters to about 6 inches long. The true Persian Lilac only gets 4 to 8 feet high and bears flower clusters to 3 inches long, according to the textbooks.) Therefore, conventional nurseries may have it slightly mislabelled.
  • Posted by MaryDurtschi on Sep 1, 2019 8:32 PM concerning plant:
    I purchased mine under the common name "Cut-Leaf Lilac." I like variety in everything that I collect, so when I saw those leaves I had to have it. My photo shows the leaves pretty well.

« Add a new plant to the database

» Search the Lilacs Database: by characteristics or by cultivar name

« See the general plant entry for Lilacs (Syringa)

« The Lilacs Database Front Page

« The Plants Database Front Page

Today's site banner is by Zoia and is called "Volunteer"

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.