Northwest Blooms · Shrubs
Syringa vulgaris 'President Grevy'
President Grevy Lilac
- Family
- Oleaceae
- Height
- 12 to 15 ft
- Width
- 8 to 12 ft
- Flower color
- Blue-lavender to soft blue, fully double, highly fragrant flower clusters
- Foliage color
- Medium to dark green, broadly heart-shaped leaves
- Bloom time
- Mid to late 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 'President Grévy' is a classic French lilac known for large, conical panicles packed with double florets in a soft lavender-blue to light blue tone. The flowers are richly fragrant, and the trusses sit prominently at stem tips above fresh green, heart-shaped leaves, making it a favorite for cutting and for planting near patios and paths.
Blooming in mid-spring to late spring (often May), this long-admired cultivar was introduced in France in the 1880s by the Lemoine nursery and named for French president Jules Grévy. After the main flush, removing spent flower clusters keeps the plant looking tidy while the leafy canopy carries the shrub through summer and into fall.
Works well in
Sun Gardens · Foundation Plantings · Fragrant Gardens · Pollinator Gardens
Companion plants
Juniper · Beautyberry · Larkspur · Pincushion flower · Wallflower · Grape hyacinth
Design tip
Draw the eye upward with ‘President Grévy’s’ prominent flower trusses, using lower-growing plants around it to create a gradual rise in height. The layered arrangement emphasizes the lilac’s substantial stature while keeping its lavender-blue spring flowers clearly visible.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at the Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens.
