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Key characteristics

Family: Oleaceae
Height: 10 to 15 ft
Width: 8 to 12 ft
Flower color: Pure white, single, very fragrant flower clusters
Foliage color: Deciduous medium green 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

Shrubs

Syringa vulgaris 'Mont Blanc'

Mont Blanc Lilac

Syringa vulgaris 'Mont Blanc' is a classic French lilac selected for its clean, white flower trusses that open from pale greenish buds. Flowering in late spring, it produces full, conical panicles with a sweet, familiar lilac fragrance that carries well in the garden. Fresh green, heart-shaped leaves create a dense, leafy backdrop that stays attractive through the growing season.

This cultivar was introduced in 1915 by Victor Lemoine of Nancy, France, and remains widely grown for dependable spring display.

Light

Full sun

Water

Moderate

Bloom time

Mid to late spring

Find this plant

Works well in

Sun Gardens
Foundation Plantings
Fragrant Gardens
Pollinator Gardens

Companion plants

Boxwoods · Dwarf Korean fir · Bergenia · Maiden grass · Snowdrops · Agapanthus

Design tip

Create a strong spring contrast by combining ‘Mont Blanc’s’ pure white flower trusses with dark evergreen foliage nearby. The evergreen mass gives the white blooms a crisp backdrop in spring, then provides structure and color after the lilac transitions to its quieter summer foliage.