Common Name : Korean lilac
Scientific Name : Syringa meyeri
Zone : 3 to 7
Height : 5 to 8 feet
Width : 6 to 10 feet
Culture :
Easily grown in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun. Tolerates light shade, but best bloom is in full sun. Prefers organically rich, moist, slightly acidic to slightly alkaline soils. Needs good air circulation. Good tolerance for urban conditions. Prompt removal of faded flower panicles before seed set will increase the bloom in the following year. Prune as needed immediately after flowering.
Description :
Meyer lilac was found growing in a garden near Beijing, China by Frank Meyer in 1909. It is not known to exist in the wild. It is a compact, rounded, slow-growing, deciduous shrub that matures to 5-8′ tall and spreads to 10′ wide. Pale lilac to violet-purple flowers bloom in small, dense terminal clusters (panicles to 3-4″ long) in late April to early May (St. Louis area). Flowers are fragrant. Small, broad-elliptic to obovate leaves (to 2″ long) are dark green. No fall color. Straight species plants are not commonly available in commerce, but S. meyeri var. spontanea ‘Palibin’ is both commonly sold and popular.
Problem :
No serious insect or disease problems. Meyer lilac is extremely resistant to powdery mildew. Flower buds are susceptible to frost injury in early spring.
Garden Uses:
Effective as a specimen or massed. Shrub borders, foundations. Good screen or informal hedge for property lines. Meyer lilac is generally more attractive than many other species of lilacs due to its structure, floriferous bloom and mildew-resistant foliage.