When it comes to selecting shrubbery that smells good, it’s hard to beat the scent of a lilac bush. They don’t all have a strong fragrance, but those that do can perfume an entire house.
Unfortunately, the blooming season is only a couple of weeks long. It varies between midspring to early summer, depending on the species. Or you can buy an early, mid- and late-blooming variety and cut flowers for more than a month. The good news: Lilacs like colder weather and do well in New Jersey.
Some of the most interesting work with hybridizing lilacs today is being done by Russians in Siberia, said Anne Haines, a manager at Rare Find Nursery in Jackson.
“Lilacs are really native to colder areas, and New Jersey is on the lower edge of that area,” said Haines, whose email address includes the word Syringa, the Latin name for lilac. “Syringa vulgaris (si-RING-ga vul-GAY-ris), or common lilac, is what breeders work with when creating hybrids, and some are now working on lilacs for warmer areas.”
Lilacs don’t much like it below the Mason-Dixon line, where they are more susceptible to disease and insects. The most common problem here is powdery mildew, which doesn’t look great but won’t hurt the shrub.
Barbara Bromley, a horticulturist with the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Mercer County, said one of the most important things to consider when planting a lilac is how many hours of sun it gets and the surrounding landscape. Some gardeners will plant them as stand-alone specimens or as a hedge.
“They will not bloom in partial shade,” she said, recommending full sun for the best success, but no less than six hours. “Remember, those 10-foot-tall trees planted near the lilacs will be 30 feet tall 20 years later.”
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