Syringa × chinensis 'Lilac Sunday': Chinese Lilac with Nodding Light-Purple Clusters

Chinese Lilac 'Lilac Sunday' (Syringa × chinensis 'Lilac Sunday') is a fragrant hybrid (S. persica × S. vulgaris) producing slightly nodding light-purple flower clusters to 6 inches long in midseason. Forms a spreading shrub 12 feet tall and wide with good disease resistance.

Growing Conditions

Reasonably fertile, well-drained soil in full sun; prefers neutral to slightly alkaline soil. Deadhead promptly. Prune lightly in late winter or early spring. Good air circulation. Fire retardant. Requires chilling dormancy. Propagate by softwood cuttings or layer in early summer, graft in winter, bud in summer. Watch for powdery mildew, dieback, leafroll virus, MLO, root knot nematode, Verticillium wilt, witches' broom, bacterial leaf spot, anthracnose, borers, scale, caterpillars.

Key Features at a Glance

• Height: 10–15 ft.
• Spread: 10–15 ft.
• Growth Habit: Spreading, Moderate
• Light: Full Sun to Part Shade
• Moisture: Medium
• Maintenance: Low
• Characteristics: Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Fragrant Flowers, Showy Flowers
• Bloom Time: Spring
• Flower Color: Purple
• Uses: Beds, Borders, Cut Flower, Flowering Tree, Hedge, Naturalizing, Roadside, Screening, Cottage Garden
• Type: Shrubs