Syringa vulgaris, or the common lilac
The glory of our region, the lilacs, are at their finest. Their heady fragrance is the hallmark of mid-to-late spring, and there is no finer activity than gathering armloads of these lovely ladies for vases and containers around the home.
Lilacs require a minimum of six hours of sunlight to perform their best. If you are growing them against the garage near a north facing wall, or in the shadows, you just aren’t going to get many blooms.
It is a myth that lilacs will do good in poor or heavy soil. Yes, they will grow in clay, but only if it drains well.Lilacs area at their best in a soil that is slightly alkaline or neutral and high in organic matter. They benefit frommulching and do appreciate a fertilizer higher in phosphorus. The time to prune is when lilacs stop blooming. Remove faded blooms will promote good flower buds for next year.