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Shrubs

Syringa × prestoniae 'Desdemona'

lilac 'Desdemona'

A vigorous, deciduous shrub up to around 3m high, with a bushy habit and ovate, slightly glossy green leaves. Produces large, pendent clusters of fragrant, tubular mauve coloured flowers in late spring and early summer

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Ultimate height

2.5–4 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

2.5–4 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Oleaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Syringa can be deciduous shrubs or trees, with simple, entire or rarely pinnate leaves and conical panicles of small, very fragrant, 4-lobed tubular flowers in late spring or early summer
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Easy to grow in most well-drained, fertile, humus-rich alkaline to neutral soils. Thrives in chalky ground. Will tolerate some light shade but flowering is best in full sun. Mulch well in spring

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings or by layering in early summer, by grafting in winter or by chip budding in midsummer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Low Maintenance
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Minimal pruning required, trim immediately after flowering if necessary (see pruning group 1)

Pests

May be susceptible to lilac leaf-mining moth, thrips and willow scale insects

Diseases

May be susceptible to lilac blight, honey fungus, phytophthora, powdery mildews and bacterial canker (Pseudomonas Syringae)

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