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Key characteristics

Family: Oleaceae
Height: 10 to 15 ft
Width: 8 to 12 ft
Flower color: Lavender-purple, fragrant panicles
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 'My Favorite'

My Favorite Lilac

Syringa vulgaris 'My Favorite' is a traditional lilac known for fragrant, lavender-purple flower clusters that open in mid to late spring. Plump buds expand into full, conical panicles of single florets, creating a rich spring display that pairs well with the plant's fresh green, heart-shaped leaves as they emerge.

This cultivar is associated with Hulda Klager's lilac breeding and collection in Woodland, Washington, and is documented as a Klager introduction from 1928 in the International Lilac Society register.

Light

Full sun

Water

Moderate

Bloom time

Mid to late spring

Find this plant

Works well in

Sun Gardens
Cottage Gardens
Fragrant Gardens
Pollinator Gardens

Companion plants

Barberry · Butterfly bush · Feverfew · False sunflower · Chives · Snow-in-summer

Design tip

Make ‘My Favorite’ part of a succession of spring-flowering shrubs. Its mid to late spring lavender-purple blooms can bridge earlier flowering plants and those blooming closer to summer, extending seasonal color and keeping the garden from reaching its spring peak all at once.