Northwest Blooms · Shrubs
Syringa x hyacinthiflora 'Esther Staley'
Esther Staley Lilac
- Family
- Oleaceae
- Height
- 8 to 12 ft
- Width
- 6 to 10 ft
- Flower color
- Lavender-pink fragrant flower panicles
- Foliage color
- Deciduous medium green leaves
- Bloom time
- Mid to late spring
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Low; prune lightly to shape after flowering
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 3 to 7
- Wildlife
- Fragrant blooms attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators
About this plant
Syringa x hyacinthiflora 'Esther Staley' is an early-blooming lilac that flowers in mid-spring, often late April into May. Reddish to purple-magenta buds open to fragrant, single flowers in lilac-pink shades, held in broadly conical panicles. Heart-shaped, mid-green leaves fill in quickly after bloom, and the shrub's upright, bushy framework keeps it substantial through the season.
This cultivar belongs to the hyacinthiflora lilacs, a hybrid group created from crosses between Syringa oblata and Syringa vulgaris, first made in France in the 1870's. 'Esther Staley' is grown for its early bloom window and perfume, fitting borders and planting spots near paths and entries where the scent can be enjoyed.
Works well in
Sun Gardens · Foundation Plantings · Fragrant Gardens · Pollinator Gardens
Companion plants
Salvias · Bottlebrush · Blazing star · Maiden grass · Candytuft · Daisy bush
Design tip
Take advantage of ‘Esther Staley’s’ upright, bushy form to bring structure to looser planting areas. Its substantial framework creates a strong vertical presence, while the early lavender-pink flowers add softness before much of the surrounding garden reaches full spring growth.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at the Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens.
