A stand-out among Lilacs, this sumptuous small-statured cultivar was introduced in 1976 by France’s internationally acclaimed Minier Nursery. Beguiling bees, butterflies and plant connoisseurs, dense wildly perfumed panicles of star-like lilac-pink blooms bestow a sensational spring showing and continue to unfurl sporadically throughout the summer amid broadly-ovate deciduous greenery. ‘Josée’s compact rounded habit makes an easy-care floriferous statement in cut arrangements, patio nooks and near garden benches or entranceways, where it tolerates heat and cold.

Blooms May–September

Size: 4' 0" – 6' 0" high x 4' 0" – 6' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 3.

Few purple blossoms have so inspired people to lend their name to a particular tint: heliotrope, lavender, violet, and of course, lilac. Distinguished by its uniquely shaped dark green leaves, this elegant Chinese native fashions a graceful mound of lacy, deeply cut foliage and 3 in. long, loose panicles of fragrant, single, pale lavender flowers.

Very heat tolerant, the Cut Leaf Lilac is perfect for hot summer areas and makes an excellent textural companion when teamed with broader leafed shrubs.

Blooms May

Size: 6' 0" – 8' 0" high x 6' 0" – 8' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

‘Palibin’s profusion of delicately perfumed lavender-pink blooms bursts forth from dark purple buds. Thick, polished deep green leaves envelope the close-knit twiggy shrub, whose small appealing profile makes a verdant hedge all season long, with or without pruning, or becomes an alluring component for the rockery or a mixed border. Perhaps the most dwarf of all Lilacs, this refined jewel should be planted in well-drained soil and cut back after its flowers are spent to ensure the following year’s bloom.

Blooms May

Size: 3' 0" – 5' 0" high x 4' 0" wide.

Zone 3/4.

Few purple flowers have so inspired people as to lend their name to a particular tint: heliotrope, lavender, violet and of course lilac. With a charming floral display that bridges the gap between spring and summer, ‘Miss Kim’ flaunts a profusion of powerfully scented pinkish purple blooms that fade to light pink and then to white. Autumn finds the handsome foliage emblazoned by stunning shades of burgundy and red.

Plant in well drained soil and maintain a pleasing shape by pruning between December and February.

Blooms May

Size: 8' 0" – 10' 0" high x 4' 0" – 6' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 3.

Hats off to the late Dr. Donald Egolf, who bred ‘Betsy Ross’ using a Chinese specimen of S. oblata and an unidentified Lilac from New York. For its bountiful supply of fragrant, fluffy-looking, snow white trusses, thick dark green deciduous leaves and compact rounded frame, this National Arboretum introduction merits a prominent spot in your garden.

Brimming with old-fashioned charm, ‘Betsy Ross’ wards off mildew, endures warmer weather and flourishes in a vast range of climates, from Minnesota to the deep south and both east and west coasts.

Blooms April

Size: 8' 0" – 10' 0" high x 9' 0" – 11' 0" wide.

Zone 4/5.

Hats off to the University of Nebraska for this prized diminutive Lilac whose beautiful blooms and tidy stalwart bearing make it indispensable in any landscape, especially those short on space. Garbed with attractive heart-shaped bright green leaves, the snug rounded habit hosts intensely fragrant 3 to 4 in. long pink panicles that eventually pale to lavender. Coveted by butterflies, honey bees and floral designers, ‘Prairie Petite’ can be clipped into a low hedge, ensconced in perennial borders and cottage gardens or planted along a foundation, while tolerating summer heat, cold winters and dry conditions.

Blooms May

Size: 3' 0" – 4' 0" high x 3' 0" – 4' 0" wide.

Zone 3/4.

Promising year-round beauty, this small rounded Morton Arboretum selection debuts large fragrant creamy white flowers followed by open clusters of warm brown capsules, artful cinnamon-colored exfoliating bark and attractive dark greenery. Indigenous to northern China's hills and valleys, and named for the distinctive net veining or reticulata that embellishes its ovate leaves, cold-hardy Peking Lilac sculpts an upright multistemmed open frame with courtly arching branches. Ideal for urban settings, except those in the deep south, this star specimen triumphs over clay or deer, and readily flourishes where cool summers, adequate air circulation, average water and slightly acidic rich well-drained soil prevail. Large Band.

Blooms June

Size: 15' 0" – 20' 0" high x 10' 0" – 15' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 3.