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Key characteristics

Family: Oleaceae
Height: 10 to 15 ft
Width: 8 to 12 ft
Flower color: Clear light blue to blue-lavender, single, strongly 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 'President Lincoln'

President Lincoln Lilac

Syringa vulgaris 'President Lincoln' is a lilac known for fragrant, single florets in clear lavender-blue tones. In mid to late spring, pink-tinged buds open into conical panicles at the branch tips, bringing classic lilac perfume to the garden. Fresh green, heart-shaped leaves emerge alongside the flowers and remain as a leafy backdrop through summer.

Introduced in 1916 by Rochester, New York nurseryman John Dunbar, 'President Lincoln' became a long-grown favorite for reliable bloom and cool blue coloring.

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

Oleaster · Mexican orange blossom · Sneezeweed · Lavender · Sea thrift · Common sage

Design tip

Make ‘President Lincoln’s’ cool blue coloring the focal point of a spring planting by surrounding it with white and soft lavender blooms. This restrained palette reinforces the unusual blue tones without overwhelming them and creates a calm, cohesive seasonal display.