Northwest Blooms · Shrubs
Syringa vulgaris 'Fritz Klager'
Fritz Klager Lilac
- Family
- Oleaceae
- Height
- 10 to 15 ft
- Width
- 8 to 12 ft
- Flower color
- Magenta to deep purple, single, strongly fragrant flower clusters
- Foliage color
- Deciduous medium green leaves
- Bloom time
- Mid spring
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- 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 'Fritz Klager' is a classic lilac cultivar that flowers in mid-spring with well-formed panicles of fragrant, magenta to deep purple single florets. Buds open rich in color and produce a perfume that fills the spring garden as fresh green, heart-shaped leaves follow the bloom. The open, conical flower clusters are appreciated for their strong scent and clear, warm tones, which make them excellent for cut arrangements and visual interest in early season beds.
This cultivar is historically linked with the Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens in Woodland, Washington, where Hulda Klager selected and named many lilac varieties in the early twentieth century. Garden guides note that multiple cultivars from the Klager program, including 'Fritz Klager', remain part of collections celebrated each spring during local lilac festivals.
Works well in
Sun Gardens · Foundation Plantings · Fragrant Gardens · Pollinator Gardens
Companion plants
Thyme · Switch grasses · Catmint · Penstemons · Coreopsis · Blanket flower
Design tip
Bring ‘Fritz Klager’s’ warm magenta-purple flowers into a looser, more naturalistic composition. Airy spring perennials and ornamental grasses at its base can soften the transition from its substantial woody framework to the lower garden without competing with the richly colored flower clusters.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at the Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens.
