Lilac

This week we'll be covering another edible flower that has a VERY potent aroma: The lilac.

This shrub is originally from the Balkan region of Eastern Europe, but has made its way to North America in the last two centuries.

Plant Profile:

Scientific Name: Syringa vulgaris

Preferred Habitat: Gardens, old homesteads or estates, partially shaded lots, edges of forests

Edible Parts: Flowers

Distribution: All over North America

Harvest Season: Mid to late spring

Key Identifiers: Large purple, pink or white cone-like flower clusters with a very apparent aromatic scent. Leaves are heart-shaped and smooth, shrubs stand about 10 or so feet when mature 

Toxic Look-Alikes: Wisteria can look similar to lilac and most parts of the plant are toxic to humans (more on that in another article) however wisteria has blooms shaped like pea flower and grows more as a climbing shrub.

Butterfly Bush can also look similar and is toxic, but the flower clusters are much smaller and don't have the telltale fragrance of lilacs. They also have lance-like leaves, not heart-shaped ones like lilac.

In some other regions there are other vague look alikes, but these are the two you are likely to find in the Midwest region!

Medicinal Benefits:

• Anti-inflammatory properties

• Anti-microbial compounds

• Breaks periodic fever cycles

• Reduces and relieves fevers

• Prevents fever relapses

• Dewormer

Uses

Lilac admittedly has limited uses outside its medicinal qualities. This is mainly due to the unique flavor of the fresh flowers. They have a strong flavor that is both floral and astringent (mouth drying) at the same time with a hint of bitterness.

They are however used for desserts, syrups, added to tonics, used in mixed drinks like cocktails and lemonades, infused into honey, or made into essential oils (which is actually a recent development since it's taken a long time to figure out how to do that properly).

Growth Habits

There are whole books and grow guides dedicated to lilacs since they have a long history of landscape gardening and award-winning breeding, so I'll just say that in general lilacs thrive in conditions similar to their native range in the Balkans.

Like most flowering shrubs they prefer full sun for maximum blooming, and they're somewhat drought tolerant when mature.

They tend to grow as multi-stemmed shrubs but can be trained to grow more as a tree. Every lilac bush I've seen is nearly always completely neglected so I wouldn't stress too hard about growing them unless you live in a particularly challenging environment for it.

Additional Information

To find lilacs, look in urban landscapes or older countryside yards. They're generally easy to spot!

While lilacs are not native, they don't grow very aggressively and so aren't considered invasive, but are naturalized in North America.

Cultivars

There are literally thousands of lilac cultivars around the world, but here are just a few that I thought looked great:

• Miss Kim - A short compact variety with pale flowers

• Beauty of Moscow - A heavy blooming extra fragrant variety

• Charles Joly - An heirloom classic that performs well for cut flowers and in colder climates

• Sensation - A whimsical variety with more delicate blooms and bordered petals

• Declaration - A larger-flowered variety with dark magenta blooms

These are great ones, but you'll find even more at a local nursery!

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