There are several different types of lilac available to include in the home landscape. The most widely planted of all types are the common lilacs, Syringa vulgaris , also known as French hybrid lilacs. These shrubs are easily identified by their large bloom sizes and wonderful fragrances. This genera of lilacs became known as French hybrids due to Victor Lemoine, a French hybridizer, who was responsible for approximately 200 different cultivars dating back to the 1870s. The common lilac will attain a height of 10 to 15 feet and spread of 6 to 12 feet.
Flowers are single or double in form.
For later blooming lilacs, try one of the Preston cultivars. Preston lilacs have elongated leaves that are more resistant to powdery mildew. These cultivars form a dense, broad-mounded shrub. They emerge before plants are fully leafed out, usually early to mid-May. This species is not affected by powdery mildew, as are many of the other species.