Syringa vulgaris L.

Rhizomatous shrub to c. 5 m high, often forming a dense thicket; vegetative parts glabrous, except for short glandular hairs when young. Shoots angular. Petioles to c. 3 cm long, slender. Lamina 3-12 × 2-8 cm, broad-ovate; base commonly subcordate, sometimes broad-cuneate or truncate; apex acute or acuminate. Panicles large and erect, up to 15 cm long (longer in cultivated plants), usually axillary from paired apical buds; branches with minute glandular hairs; bracts and bracteoles lanceolate to linear-subulate, sometimes > pedicels. Fls mauve, very fragrant. Calyx c. 2 mm long, with minute glandular hairs; lobes broad and shallow. Corolla tube 6-8 mm long; lobes 4-6 mm long, oblong or elliptic-oblong, rounded or obtuse. Anthers subsessile, 1.5-1.8 mm long, near apex of tube. Style and stigma = or < corolla tube. Capsule 1-1.5 cm long, acute or acuminate.

A temperate plant. In Argentina it grows between 500-1,000 m above sea level. Arboretum Tasmania.

The flowers are eaten raw or folded in batter and made into fritters. They can be crystallised by dipping in beaten egg white then rolling in granulated sugar. The nectar is also sucked.

Can be grown by cuttings or seedlings. Seeds needs stratification.