Plant Details

Syringa vulgaris

Lilac, Common lilac

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Common names

40 names · 32 languages
EnglishYour language
Other languages (31)
Dutch
  • Gewone sering
  • sering[2]
French
  • Lilas commun[2]
  • Lilas français[2]
Arabic
  • ليلك شائع[2]
Armenian
  • Եղրևանի սովորական[2]
Belarusian
  • Бэз звычайны[2]
Catalan
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Croatian
Czech
  • šeřík obecný[2]
Danish
  • Almindelig syren[2]
Estonian
  • harilik sirel[2]
Finnish
  • pihasyreeni[2]
German
  • Flieder[1]
  • Gemeiner Flieder[2]
Hungarian
  • Közönséges orgona[2]
Italian
Japanese
  • ムラサキハシドイ[2]
  • ライラック[2]
  • リラ[2]
Korean
  • 라일락[2]
  • 서양수수꽃다리[2]
Laadan
Latvian
  • Parastais ceriņš[2]
Lithuanian
  • Paprastosios alyvos[2]
Norwegian
Polish
  • Lilak pospolity[2]
Romanian
Russian
  • Сирень обыкновенная[2]
Slovak
  • orgován obyčajný[2]
Slovenian
  • španski bezeg[2]
Spanish
  • Lila común[2]
Swedish
Turkish
Ukrainian
  • Бузок звичайний[2]
Sources & name notes (2)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Syringa vulgaris L. ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Flieder (DE) — VernacularName.tsv, line 158381; taxon 542H2.
  • Lilac (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 158382; taxon 542H2.
[2] Syringa vulgaris — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • common lilac — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • lilac — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • Gemeiner Flieder — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • Lilas commun — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • Lilas français — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • šeřík obecný — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • 歐丁香 — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • 欧丁香 — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • 洋丁香 — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • syren — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • Almindelig syren — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • Сирень обыкновенная — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • syrin — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • harilik sirel — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • Jorgovan — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • pihasyreeni — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • Lilak pospolity — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • Paprastosios alyvos — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • ムラサキハシドイ — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • ライラック — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • リラ — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • orgován obyčajný — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • sering — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • lehina — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • 라일락 — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • Liliac — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • Бэз звычайны — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • Lila común — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • španski bezeg — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • Бузок звичайний — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • Եղրևանի սովորական — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • Közönséges orgona — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • ليلك شائع — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • Parastais ceriņš — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • leylak — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • 서양수수꽃다리 — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • Lillà — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.
  • Lilà — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 83072; Syringa vulgaris.

General information

Scientific name: Syringa vulgaris
Accepted name (Kew): Syringa vulgaris L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Oleaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Syringa (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Lilac, Common lilac
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Shrub
Catalogue size class: Medium
Height: 2.44–4.88 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Spread: 1.83–3.66 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Growth rate: Moderate
Sources [3]
Foliage: Deciduous
Sources [3]
Growth habit: Ascending, Conical, Erect, Irregular, Multi-stemmed, Pyramidal, Vase

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [3]
Life cycle: Perennial
Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [3]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Moist

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [3]
Soil:
Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt)
Sources [3]
pH:
Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Sources [3]
Light:
Full sun, Partial Shade
Sources [3]

Uses

Edible parts:
Flowers
Edibility rating:
(1)
Medicinal rating:
(1)
Functions:
Hedge, Fragrant

Description

Flowers can be eaten raw or folded into batter and baked to make fritters.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 15/05
Harvest ends: 15/06

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1196185; name ID 356526; Syringa L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1199984; name ID 356495; Syringa vulgaris L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Syringa vulgaris

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 1323197, ID 542H2: Syringa vulgaris L. (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Syringa vulgaris — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: HeightSpreadGrowth rateFoliageGrowth habitLife cycleLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 16 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .