Cultivar Selection

Still under construction!

There are numerous considerations in selection of lilac species and cultivars within each species. This website focuses on the common or French lilacs (Syringa vulgaris) and hyacinth lilacs (Syringa xhyacinthiflora) which is a cross between the common lilac native to southeastern Europe and early blooming lilacs native to China. There are many similarities between the French lilac and their hybrids with the early blooming lilacs. In general, hyacinth lilacs flower earlier in the spring. Many of the hyacinth lilacs are indistinguishable by visible observation from the French lilacs.

There are many considerations and preferences when selecting French and hyacinth lilacs including size of the adult plant, disease resistance, bud/flower color, flower type and structure, fragrance, etc. I have decided to organize my list of recommended cultivars by flower color emphasizing some of these other characteristics in the written description. Additionally, there are many cultivars that should be recommended on this list, but are very difficult to purchase since not available in retail or wholesale stores in Nebraska of the United States. The list here focuses on lilacs currently available in commerce in local Nebraska stores or that can be shipped to Nebraska (smaller bareroot plants):

Cultivar name (species, originator/breeder, year developed, flower structure, parents) – description including quotes from the Lilacs: A Gardener’s Encyclopedia by John Fiala, (Revised and updated by Freek Vrugtman

White – Flower Color Class I

  • Angel White
  • Avalanche
  • Betsy Ross – Resistant to powdery mildew
  • Bridal Memories (S. vulgaris, Max Peterson from Nebraska, 1993, Single, Rochester x Vestale) – Satin white petals with pale greenish yellow buds flowering mid-season, compact plant. Moderately resistant to moderately susceptible to powdery mildew. Availability – Hope Springs (shipped bare root)
  • Common white
  • Fiala Remembrance
  • Frederick Law Olmsted
  • Mount Baker
  • New Age White
  • Sister Justina
  • Rochester

Violet – Color Class II

  • Agrincourt Beauty
  • Declaration
  • Pocahontas
  • Vesper Song (S. xhyacinthiflora, Fiala, 1981, Single, Pocanhontas x Marechal Foch) – Early flowering, large florets.

Blue – Color Class III

  • Nadezhda
  • President Lincoln
  • President Grevy
  • Scentara Double Blue (S. xhyacinthiflora, Wood, 2017, Double, unknown) – Available – Plant Addicts
  • Wedgewood Blue
  • Wonderblue

Lilac – Color Class IV

None currently available in commerce nearby

Pink – Color Class V

Magenta – Color Class VI

  • Sweetheart
  • Congo (S. vulgaris, Lemoine, 1896, Single, unknown) – “Bright deep reddish, heavy bloom, very old but excellent” stated John Fiala. Moderately susceptible to powdery mildew. Available – Hope Springs (shipped bare root)
  • My Favorite

Purple – Color Class VII

  • Adelaide Dunbar
  • Ludwig Spaeth
  • Common purple
  • Charles Joly
  • Flower City
  • Frank’s Francy
  • Lavendar Lady
  • Monge – (S. vulgaris, Emile Lemoine, 1913, Single, unknown) – “Outstandingly showy, excellent,” state Fiala. Light purple flowers, yellow anthers, with moderate reddish purple buds. Compact plant. Susceptible to powdery mildew. Available from Campbell’s
  • Old Glory
  • Purple Glory
  • Sarah Sands
  • Yankee Doodle (S. vulgaris, Fiala,

Unique color, foliage, or size

  • Albert F. Holden (S. vulgaris, Fiala,1980, Single, Sarah Sands x Reaumur) – A deep purple with a silver reverse. Availability – Hope Springs (shipped bare root)
  • Aucubaefolia ( ) Availability – Broken Arrow Nursery
  • Beauty of Moscow (Krasavitsa Moskvy)
  • Blue Skies ‘Monore’ (S. xhyacinthiflora, Moore, 1987, Single, Esther Staley x President Lincoln? or Ludwig Spaeth?) – Sometime consider S. vulgaris, but it’s know parent, Esther Staley is a hyacinth hybrid. One of my favorites at the UNL East Campus Flack Lilac Collections and Nebraska City. Great fragrance, good resistance to bacterial blight, vigorous grower so plant with space. Flowers mid-spring season. Availability – from Monrovia retailers in Nebraska.
  • Prairie Petite
  • Primrose ( ) – Availability – Plant Addicts
  • Sensation (S. vulgaris, Maarse, 1938, Single, mutation of Hugo de Vries) – Light reddish purple flowers with white margins and deep purplish pink buds. Very unique. Resistant to bacterial blight and powdery mildew. Can become tall without pruning. Availability – several retailers in Nebraska
  • Tiny Dancer ‘Elsdancer’ – (S. vulgaris, Moore & Elsley, 1980s, Single, unknown) – Dwarf lilac selection getting on 4 to 5 feet tall. Powdery mildew resistant.