Syringa vulgaris 'Belle de Nancy'

Belle de Nancy Lilac

Family: Oleaceae
Height: 10 to 15 ft
Width: 8 to 12 ft
Flower color: Soft pink to lavender-pink double flowers with deeper rose tones, highly fragrant
Foliage color: Deciduous medium green leaves
Bloom time: Mid to late spring
Light: Full sun
Water: Low to moderate
Maintenance: Low to moderate; prune immediately after flowering to shape and remove spent clusters
Growing zone: USDA zones 3 to 7
Wildlife: Fragrant blooms attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators

About this plant

Syringa vulgaris 'Belle de Nancy' is a classic French lilac with fragrant, fully double flowers that open in mid to late spring. Purplish-pink buds expand to lilac-pink florets that can soften to bluish mauve as they age, filling upright panicles and perfuming the garden, especially during calm spring evenings. Heart-shaped green leaves provide a clean backdrop through summer.

Introduced in 1891 by Victor Lemoine & Fils in Nancy, France, 'Belle de Nancy' remains valued for dependable bloom and elegant cut-flower clusters. It fits naturally in borders and near patios or entries where fragrance is welcome, and spent panicles can be removed after flowering to keep the plant looking tidy.

Works well in

Sun Gardens · Foundation Plantings · Fragrant Gardens · Pollinator Gardens

Companion plants

Salvias · Bottlebrush · Blazing star · Maiden grass · Candytuft · Daisy bush

Design tip

Bring ‘Belle de Nancy’ closer to a patio or frequently used sitting area, where its fragrance can be enjoyed on calm spring evenings. The flowers’ gradual shift from pink to bluish mauve also rewards close viewing, with several tones often appearing across the shrub at once.

Where to see it

This plant can be seen at the Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens.