Syringa Vulgaris, common Lilac, Purple, 30-100 seeds, Sept. 2022
Syringa vulgaris, the lilac or common lilac, is a species of flowering plant in the olive family Oleaceae, native to the Balkan Peninsula, where it grows on rocky hills. Grown for its scented flowers in spring, this large shrub or small tree is widely cultivated and has been naturalized in parts of Europe, Asia and North America. It is not regarded as an aggressive species. It is found in the wild in widely scattered sites, usually in the vicinity of past or present human habitations.
Syringa vulgaris is a large deciduous shrub or multistemmed small tree, growing to 6–7 m (20–23 ft) high. Lilac, mauve or white flowers are arranged in dense, terminal panicles 8–18 cm (3–7 in) long. The fruit is a dry, smooth, brown capsule, 1–2 cm long, splitting in two to release the two-winged seeds.
The lilac is a very popular ornamental plant in gardens and parks, because of its attractive, sweet-smelling flowers, which appear in early summer just before many of the roses and other summer flowers come into bloom.
Common lilac tends to flower profusely in alternate years, a habit that can be improved by deadheading the flower clusters after the color has faded and before seeds. In late summer, lilacs can be attacked by powdery mildew.
Germination method
Pre-treatment
Syringa vulgaris germination benefits greatly from stratification. Put dried seeds in the bag with perlite or saw dust and keep them in the fridge 40-60 days. At this stage there’s no need to keep them moist.
Sowing After stratification is complete depending on the outdoor temperature you can sow the seeds in containers or pots. The recommended temperature is +18-20°C during the day.
Seedling grow very slowly during their first year, thus you can plant seeds 2-3 cm apart.
Another method is to soak the seeds in water, put them in a sealable bag and store in the fridge. Check regularly if there’s no mold. In that case remove the bad seeds, rinse the rest in distilled water with addition of hydrogen peroxide 4:1, put them on new paper towel and new bag, continue storage.
You can start the seeds indoors but it is much easier to keep them growing healthy with the right amount of sunlight and ventilation outdoor.