Lilacs are members of the Syringia family and are named for the colour. There are deep lilacs verging on violet and light pinkish lilacs even some pretty floriferous white flowering Lilacs.

Persian Lilac has a more open flowerhead and is also called Chinaberry or Melia azedarach.

White flowering lilacs (below) also have the same heady perfume of the other members of the Lilac family .

Lilac species from wikipedia
* Syringa afghanica
* Syringa emodi – Himalayan Lilac
* Syringa josikaea
* Syringa komarowii (syn. S. reflexa)
* Syringa mairei
* Syringa microphylla
* Syringa meyeri
* Syringa oblata
* Syringa pinetorum
* Syringa pinnatifolia
* Syringa protolaciniata
* Syringa pubescens
* Syringa pubescens subsp. julianae (syn. S. julianae)
* Syringa pubescens subsp. microphylla (syn. S. microphylla)
* Syringa pubescens subsp. patula (syn. S. patula)
* Syringa reticulata (syn. S. pekinensis) – Japanese Tree Lilac
* Syringa spontanea
* Syringa sweginzowii
* Syringa tibetica
* Syringa tomentella
* Syringa villosa
* Syringa vulgaris – Common Lilac
* Syringa wardii
* Syringa wolfii
* Syringa yunnanensis – Yunnan Lilac

Korean Lilac or Syringia meyeri is a good shrub for a small garden.

Features of Syrigia meyeri

• This variety Palibin is slow growing reaching 5 foot high and wide over 10 years.
• It is often called Dwarf Lilac and as part of the Syringia family the flowers grow in panicles with a similar scent to other lilacs.
• Flowers are prolific, reddish purple in bud, opening to a lavender purple in full blossom.
• Flowers in May and June with a possible late flush in September.

 

Traditional garden Lilac looks good in a cottage garden. The short flowering time is a bit disappointing as the leaves are boring.