Syringa

Syringa is a genus of 12 currently recognized species of flowering woody plants in the olive family

The genus is most closely related to Ligustrum (privet), classified with it in Oleaceae tribus Oleeae subtribus Ligustrinae.

Lilacs are used as food plants by the larvae of some moth species, including lilac leaf mining moth, privet hawk moth, copper underwing, scalloped oak and Svensson's copper underwing.

Description

thumbnail|Purple lilac bush

Lilacs are small trees, ranging in size from tall, with stems up to diameter. The leaves are opposite (occasionally in whorls of three) in arrangement, and their shape is simple and heart-shaped to broad lanceolate in most species, but pinnate in a few species (e.g. S. protolaciniata and S. pinnatifolia).

Flowers

thumb|Dormant lilac buds

The flowers are produced in spring, each flower being in diameter with a four-lobed corolla, the corolla tube narrow, long; they are monoecious, with fertile stamens and stigma in each flower. The usual flower colour is a shade of purple (often a light purple or "lilac"), but white, pale yellow and pink, and even a dark burgundy color are also found.

The flowers grow in large panicles, and in several species have a strong fragrance. Flowering varies between mid-spring to early summer, depending on the species. One particular cultivar, trademark Bloomerang, first blooms in spring and then again late summer through fall.

Fruit

The fruit is a dry, brown capsule, splitting in two at maturity to release the two winged seeds. The genus name Syringa is derived from Ancient Greek word meaning "pipe" or "tube" and refers to the hollow branches of S. vulgaris.

Homonym Syringa <small>Tourn. ex Adans.</small> is a heterotypic synonym of Philadelphus.

Species

Species and subspecies currently accepted as of July 2016:

Hybrids

S. × chinensis (S. vulgaris × S. persica)
S. × diversifolia (S. oblata × S. pinnatifolia)
S. × henryi (S. josikaea × S. villosa)
S. × hyacinthiflora (S. oblata × S. vulgaris)
S. × josiflexa (S. josikaea × S. komarowii)
S. × laciniata (S. protolaciniata × S. vulgaris) – cut-leaf lilac or cutleaf lilac
S. × persica L. (syn Syringa protolaciniata) – Persian lilac – Afghanistan, Pakistan, western Himalayas, Gansu, Qinghai
S. × prestoniae (S. komarowii × S. villosa)
S. × swegiflexa (S. komarowii × S. sweginzowii)

Etymology

The English common name "lilac" is from the French via the from meaning the indigo plant or meaning "bluish"; They flower on old wood, and produce more flowers if unpruned. If pruned, the plant responds by producing fast-growing young vegetative growth with no flowers, in an attempt to restore the removed branches. Lilac bushes can be prone to powdery mildew disease.

Lilac wood is not commonly used or commercially harvested due to the small size of the tree. It is a relatively hard wood, with an estimated Janka hardness of 2,350 lbf (10,440 N), and is reportedly good for woodturning. Compounds isolated from species of Syringa include phenylpropanoids such as syringin and iridoids such as oleuropein.

Symbolism

Lilacs are often considered to symbolize first love.

In Greece, Macedonia, Lebanon, and Cyprus, the lilac is strongly associated with Easter time because it flowers around that time; it is consequently called paschalia.

In the poem When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd, by Walt Whitman, lilacs are a reference to Abraham Lincoln.

The music-hall song by Ivor Novello, We'll Gather Lilacs, first performed in 1945, speaks of the longing of two lovers to be reunited in a traditional English rural setting. It has since been recorded and performed by numerous artists.

Syringa vulgaris is the state flower of New Hampshire, because it "is symbolic of that hardy character of the men and women of the Granite State."

Lilac is significant in the Discworld novel Night Watch as the impromptu badge for John Keel's side and is noted for being whippy, tough, and difficult to kill.

Festivals

thumb|Lilacs showcased in the Lilac Celebration held each May at the [[Royal Botanical Gardens, Ontario, Canada]]

Several locations in North America hold annual Lilac Festivals, including:

The Arnold Arboretum in Boston, Massachusetts, which celebrates "Lilac Sunday" every May. The Arboretum shows off its collection of over 422 lilac plants, of 194 different varieties. Lilac Sunday is the only day of the year when picnicking is allowed on the grounds of the Arboretum.
Lombard, Illinois, called the "Lilac Village", which has an annual lilac festival and parade in May. The village also contains Lilacia Park, a garden with over 200 varieties of lilacs, as well as over 50 kinds of tulips.
Mackinac Island, in Michigan, which celebrates a weeklong lilac festival and lilac parade each June.
Rochester, New York, which has held its Lilac Festival since 1898, hosts the longest-running festival in North America. Held in Highland Park, this celebration features 1,200 shrubs, representing over 500 varieties, many of which were developed in Rochester. It is the largest collection of varieties at any single place.
The Royal Botanical Gardens near Hamilton, Ontario, which holds its Lilac Celebration each May.
Spokane, Washington, known as the "Lilac City", which holds an annual lilac festival and lilac parade.
Franktown, Ontario, Canada, known as the Lilac Capital of Canada, holds an annual festival. With drystone masonry demonstrations and horse pulled wagon rides.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada, holds an annual one-day Lilac Festival, which is primarily a street festival.

Gallery

File:Syringa emodi 002.jpg|Syringa emodi flowers

File:Syringa meyeri Palibin.jpg|S. meyeri 'Palibin'

File:Syringa microphylla C.jpg|S. microphylla

File:Syringa vulgaris Sarah Sands.jpg|S. vulgaris 'Sarah Sands'

File:Lilacs 2.jpg|A double-flowered S. vulgaris cultivar

File:Syringa 'Pamyat o Vekhove' 01.jpg|Syringa 'Pamyat o Vekhove'

File:Ab plant 487.jpg|White syringa

File:Šeřík1.jpg|Syringarium with trees in blossom

File:Syringa 'Pavlinka' 03.JPG|Syringa 'Pavlinka'

File:Syringa 'Oberon' 01.JPG|Syringa 'Oberon'

</gallery>