GardenWizzPlant Care Card

Common Lilac

Syringa vulgaris · Shrub

Hardiness
H6 Hardy — very cold winter (to −15 to −20°C)
Position
Full sun
Height × Spread
6–7 m × 7 m
Soil
Moist but well-drained, fertile, humus-rich, alkaline to neutral, chalky
Flowering
May–June
Toxicity
No specific toxicity is listed by the RHS. This is not a guarantee of safety — check with a vet or the ASPCA before pets or children eat any plant.

The Gardening Year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
🪴 Plant out
🌸 In flower
✂️ Prune

Watch out for

Lilac blight (bacterial): Prune out infected growth in dry weather and avoid overhead watering to reduce spread.

Powdery mildew: Ensure good air circulation by thinning the canopy and apply a suitable fungicide if severe.

Lilac leaf-mining moth: Remove heavily infested leaves and encourage natural predators like parasitic wasps.

Honey fungus: Improve drainage and remove infected plants completely to prevent spread to neighbours.

Willow scale insects: Scrape off heavy infestations by hand or use a horticultural oil spray in winter.

Full guide: gardenwizz.com/plants/common-lilac © GardenWizz — UK gardening encyclopedia