12 Types of Lilacs That Will Fill Your Garden with Fragrance and Flowers (2024)

Table of Contents

Angel White Beauty of Moscow Congo Lavender Lady Maiden‘s Blush President Grevy President Lincoln Primrose Sensation Tinkerbelle Virtual Violet Bloomerang References

You know summer is on the way when lilac shrubs welcome spring with their glorious, fragrant blooms. These shrubs are easy to care for and long-lived beauties. When looking for a type of lilac (Syringa spp.) to add to your garden, there are hundreds to choose from in various sizes and beautiful colors. To help you narrow down the list, these selections all have eye-catching and fantastically fragrant blooms that will perfume the air in spring.

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Angel White

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In addition to their powerful scent, the pure white flower clusters of Syringa vulgaris ‘Angel White’ lilac have an almost frothy look. This variety performs well in warm winter areas; not many lilacs bloom in the South, but ‘Angel White’ doesn’t need a winter chilling period like other lilacs do to bloom. With a heavenly scent to match its visual appeal, this quick-growing variety works well in hedges, screens, or as an accent in your landscape.

Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil

Size: 10 to 12 feet tall and 8 to 10 feet wide

Zones: 3–8

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Beauty of Moscow

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The pink, pearl-like buds of ‘Beauty of Moscow’ lilac open into gorgeous double-white flowers with a strong fragrance. This big plant grows almost like a tree, so the Beauty of Moscow (Syringa vulgaris ‘Krasavitsa Moskvy’) needs to be pruned occasionally to keep it under control. As the flowers mature, the lilac fragrance becomes even more pronounced.

Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil

Size: 8 to 12 feet tall and 6 to 7 feet wide

Zones: 3–7

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Congo

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An heirloom variety from the 1890s, Syringa vulgaris ‘Congo’ produces deep wine-red flowers that are as fragrant as they are pretty. Its 10-inch flower heads start as red and turn purple during late spring. Bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies love this classic variety, so it’s a must to include in a pollinator garden.

Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil

Size: 8 to 10 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide

Lavender Lady

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The intensely fragrant flowers of Syringa vulgaris ‘Lavender Lady’ grow in big clusters of a soft shade of purple (as you might expect from its name). It flowers in almost any part of the country, even without a winter chill period. You can fit this variety into a drought-tolerant garden plan because it can survive mild, periodic drought.

Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil

Size: 12 to 15 feet tall and wide

Zones: 3–8

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Maiden‘s Blush

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This distinct selection, developed in Canada, is extra hardy and produces big, round flower clusters (almost like a hydrangea) in candy pink. Syringa x hyacinthiflora ‘Maiden's Blush’ has extremely fragrant blooms with unique cinnamon tones and usually blooms a week or two before most other common varieties. Remember to prune it only after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season’s flowers.

Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil

Size: 10 to 12 feet tall and 8 to 10 feet wide

Zones: 2-8

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President Grevy

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Another classic favorite, Syringa vulgaris ‘President Grevy’, offers double blooms that are light bluish-purple and wonderfully scented. Its heart-shaped green leaves have a slightly bluish tint that makes the foliage look extra attractive even when the blooms have faded.

Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil

Size: 8 to 14 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide

President Lincoln

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Noted for the blueness of the flowers, Syringa vulgaris ‘President Lincoln’ is a fast grower with huge clusters of fragrant blooms. The color is similar to ‘President Grevy’ but with single flowers. It has a history of being a popular selection in presidential gardens. Introduced in 1916, this variety is named in honor of Abraham Lincoln.

Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil

Size: 8 to 10 feet tall and 6 feet wide

Zones: 3–7

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Primrose

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If you want a lilac that’s, well, not lilac, give Syringa vulgaris ‘Primrose’ a try. The flowers of this award-winning shrub are a pale creamy yellow and white. As the plant ages, the blooms turn a deeper shade of yellow. Its exceptionally fragrant blooms are fantastic in a flower arrangement.

Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil

Size: 10 to 12 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide

Zones: 3–7

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Sensation

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While not quite as fragrant as other lilacs, Syringa vulgaris ‘Sensation’ still has a pleasant scent. However, its bicolored blossoms are its most winning feature. Its purple blooms are distinctly edged in white. Even when not in bloom, this fast-growing flowering shrub looks vibrant with its lush, dark green heart-shaped leaves.

Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil

Size: 10 to 12 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide

Zones: 3–7

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Tinkerbelle

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The dwarf lilac Tinkerbelle (Syringa x ‘Bailbelle’ PP12294) is smaller than other varieties, but its flowers are no less abundant. Its compact branching allows it to squeeze into small gardens and even containers. The blooms are an unusually warm pink that stands out against the wine-red buds. This variety has a unique fragrance that’s more spicy than sweet.

Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil

Size: 5 to 7 feet tall and wide

Zones: 3–7

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Virtual Violet

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‘Virtual Violet’ lilac (Syringa ‘Bailbridget’) is an exciting hybrid with purple stems, violet-tinted new leaves, purple buds, and fragrant violet blooms. This showstopper produces spectacular cut flowers, is a standout in a border or bed, and a welcome addition to foundation plantings. It is deer-resistant and right at home in a songbird and butterfly garden.

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil

Size: 6 to 8 feet tall and 5 to 7 feet wide

Zones: 3–7

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Bloomerang

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Bloomerang (Syringa ‘Penda’) is not your typical lilac. After it blooms in spring, this deciduous shrub reblooms in midsummer to fall, so you are rarely without the blooms and fragrance you’ve come to love and expect from lilacs. Smaller than most lilac shrubs, Bloomerang is the perfect choice for small gardens.

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-draining soil

Size: 4 to 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide

Zones: 3–7