Lilac Trials and Photos

Perry's Perennial Pages

Lilac Trials and Photos

Dr. Leonard Perry, University of Vermont

Cultivar links go to photos. Site and other comments follow the table.

species Cultivar flower color blight*

vulgaris Adelaide Dunbar pur-VII dbl

vulgaris Agincourt Beauty vio-II sgl 5

prestoniae x Agnes Smith wht-I sgl

vulgaris Albert Holden vio-II sgl 2

vulgaris Angel White wht-I sgl 4

josiflexa x Anna Amhoff wht-I sgl

hyacinthiflora x Annabel pink-V dbl 5

vulgaris Arch McKean pur-VII sgl 4

hyacinthiflora x Assessippi lav-lilac-IV sgl 2

vulgaris Atheline Wilbur red-VI sgl

villosa Aurea pink-V sgl

vulgaris Avalanche wht-I sgl 2

vulgaris Belle de Nancy pink-V dbl 4

josiflexa x Bellicent pink-V sgl

vulgaris Big Blue blue-III sgl 2

hyacinthiflora x Blanche Sweet blue-III 3

vulgaris Bleuatre blue-III 3

vulgaris Blue Skies blue-III 4

vulgaris Bridal Memories wht-I sgl 5

vulgaris Burgundy Queen pur-VII sgl 5

vulgaris California Rose pink-V sgl 5

prestoniae x Calphurnia lilac-IV sgl

vulgaris Catawba Pink pink-V dbl

vulgaris Charles Joly pur-VII dbl 5

vulgaris Charm pink-V sgl 5

oblata var. dilatata Cheyenne blue-III sgl 1

vulgaris Christophe Colomb lilac-IV sgl 4

vulgaris Clyde Heard red-VI sgl 2

vulgaris Common Purple pur 2

vulgaris Common White wht 2

vulgaris Congo red-VI sgl 4

prestoniae x Coral pk-V sgl

quatrobrida x Dancing Druid red-VI sgl

vulgaris Dappled Dawn red-VI sgl 2

vulgaris Dark Night pur-VII sgl 3

prestoniae Dawn pink-V sgl

prestoniae Desdemona blue-III sgl

prestoniae x Donald Wyman pur-VII sgl

vulgaris Edith Cavelle wht-I dbl 1

vulgaris Edmond Boissier pur-VII sgl 5

vulgaris Edward Gardner pink-V dbl 5

vulgaris Ekwanok lilac-IV dbl 2

josiflexa x Elaine wht-I sgl

prestoniae x Elinor blue-III sgl

hyacinthiflora x Esther Staley pk-V sgl 3

vulgaris Etna pur-VII sgl 5

hyacinthiflora Evangeline pur-VII sgl 3

quintobrida x Eventide vio-II sgl 3

hyacinthiflora x Excel lilac-IV sgl 3

x Ferna Alexander pink-V sgl

vulgaris Firmament blue-III sgl 5

vulgaris Fr. John L. Fiala wht-I dbl 1

prestoniae x Francisca pur-VII sgl

vulgaris General Sheridan wht-I dbl 1

julianae George Eastman red-VI sgl

vulgaris Glory red-VI sgl 4

wolfii x Hagny pink-V

prestoniae Helen pink-V sgl

prestoniae Hiawatha red-VI sgl

prestoniae x Isabella lilac-IV sgl

prestoniae x James MacFarlane pk-V sgl

prestoniae x Jessica vio-II sgl

josiflexa x Jessie Hepler red-VI sgl

tribrida x Josee blue-III sgl

prestoniae x Juliet red-VI sgl

vulgaris Katherine Havemeyer med pk-V dbl 1

vulgaris Kosmos vio-II sgl

vulgaris Krasavitsa Moskvy wht-I dbl 1

Kum Bum

tribrida x Lark Song pk-V sgl

vulgaris Lavender Lady pur-VII sgl 5

vulgaris Leon Gambetta lilac-IV dbl 4

vulgaris Letha House red-VI sgl 3

vulgaris Little Boy Blue 5

vulgaris Lois Amee Utley pink-V dbl

vulgaris Lucie Baltet pink-V sgl 4

vulgaris Ludwig Spaeth pur-VII sgl 3

vulgaris Marie Finon wht-I sgl 4

vulgaris Marie Frances pk-V sgl 2

vulgaris Marie Legraye wht-I sgl 3

vulgaris Marlyensis lav-IV sgl 3

hyacinthiflora Mary Short pink-V dbl

vulgaris Michael Buchner lilac-IV dbl 2

tribrida x Minuet pk-V sgl

prestoniae x Miss Canada pk-V sgl

vulgaris Miss Ellen Willmott wht-I dbl 5

patula Miss Kim vio-II sgl

vulgaris Mme Lemoine wht-I dbl 2

vulgaris Mme. Casimir Perier wht-I dbl 2

vulgaris Monge pur-VII sgl 5

vulgaris Monique Lemoine wht-I dbl 4

vulgaris Montaigne pk-V dbl 1

vulgaris Mrs W.E. Marshall pur-VII sgl 2

vulgaris Mrs. Ed Harding red-VI dbl 2

hyacinthiflora x Mt Baker wht-I sgl 4

vulgaris Nadezhda vio-II dbl 1

prestoniae x Nike vio-II sgl

prestoniae Nocturne blue-III sgl

vulgaris Olimpiada Kolesnikova lilac-IV dbl 5

vulgaris Olivier de Serres blue-III dbl 3

villosa Onarga pink-V sgl

vulgaris P.P. Konshalovskii blue-III dbl 4

meyeri Palibin vio-II sgl

vulgaris Paul Thirion red-VI dbl 5

vulgaris Pixie wht-I sgl

hyacinthiflora x Pocahontas (blight) pur-VII sgl 3

prestoniae x Portia pink-V sgl

vulgaris Prairie Petite pur-VII sgl

vulgaris Pres. Grevy blue-III dbl 1

vulgaris Pres. Lincoln blue-III sgl 3

vulgaris President Harding pur-VII sgl 2

vulgaris President Poincare red-VI dbl

vulgaris Primrose wht-I sgl 3

vulgaris Prodige pur-VII sgl 4

yunanensis Prophecy vio-II sgl

chinensis x Red Rothamagensis red-VI sgl 1

josiflexa x Redwine red-VI sgl

vulgaris Rochester wht-I 4

hyacinthiflora Royal Purple pur-VII dbl 5

josiflexa x Royalty pur-VII sgl

vulgaris Ruhm von Horstenstein red-VI sgl 5

nanceiana x Rutlilant pur-VII sgl

vulgaris Sarah Sands pur-VII sgl 3

chinensis Saugeana pur-VII sgl 1

vulgaris Sensation | (close) pur-VII sgl 2

hyacinthiflora Sierra Snow wht-I sgl 4

prestoniae Silvia pink-V sgl

hyacinthiflora Sister Justina wht-I sgl

x Swegiflexa pink-V sgl

x Tinkerbelle pink-V sgl

vulgaris Victor Lemoine lilac-IV dbl 2

vulgaris Volcan pur-VII dgl

vulgaris Wedgewood Blue blue-III sgl 3

vulgaris Wonderblue blue-III sgl 5

vulgaris Yankee Doodle pur-VII sgl 5

josikaea vio-II sgl

laciniata

meyeri vio-II sgl 1

persica lilac-IV sgl

reflexa pink-V sgl

villosa pink-V sgl

wolfii red-VI sgl

*bacterial blight ratings 6/3/00: (symptom on Pocahontas)

1=none

2=less than 25% of shoots and flowers affected, flowers basically unaffected

3=25-75% of shoots and flowers affected, few flowers if any and poor

4=over 75% of shoots and flowers affected, no flowers/flowers totally brown

5=dead, or 100% of shoots affected with secondary buds emerging from main branches

General Observations: Plants are located in Milton, Vermont in USDA zone 4A, on stoney loam soil. Although they are not replicated, hopefully these observations may be of some use. There appeared to be no differences due to location, flower color, or age of plant. Plants vary in age from 5-15 years. If plants are infected, there is a good chance they will be in a similar climate, however under less optimal conditions for the disease they may not. If plants are not infected here, this does not necessarily mean they will not be under other conditions, although of these cultivars they seem the most resistant. Due to frequent dew at this site, often beginning early evening and lasting until late the following morning, lilacs in many years at this site get blight when this hasn't been observed at other plantings in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.

Photos: original plants | original plants from back | expanded trials

Year 2000 Observations: Due to a cloudy, cool and unusually rainy spring, bacterial blight was the most severe in 2000 over the past 10 years; almost exclusively vulgaris and hyacinthiflora cultivars were affected, and so these were rated. Those not rated are still small in pots in the nursery stage. With such weather lasting into summer, and the Preston hybrids not affected by blight, they bloomed about 2 weeks later than usual, and over a longer period, and were some of the best flower displays yet at this site. With such conditions the overall bloom season began 5/12/00 (with S. vulgaris 'Evangeline') and lasted about 6 weeks.

For more on lilacs, including more detailed descriptions, see the International Lilac Society.

For more trials on perennials, see Perry's Perennial Pages | Sustainable Research

species	Cultivar	flower color	blight*

vulgaris	Adelaide Dunbar	pur-VII dbl
vulgaris	Agincourt Beauty	vio-II sgl	5
prestoniae x	Agnes Smith	wht-I sgl
vulgaris	Albert Holden	vio-II sgl	2
vulgaris	Angel White	wht-I sgl	4
josiflexa x	Anna Amhoff	wht-I sgl
hyacinthiflora x	Annabel	pink-V dbl	5
vulgaris	Arch McKean	pur-VII sgl	4
hyacinthiflora x	Assessippi	lav-lilac-IV sgl	2
vulgaris	Atheline Wilbur	red-VI sgl
villosa	Aurea	pink-V sgl
vulgaris	Avalanche	wht-I sgl	2
vulgaris	Belle de Nancy	pink-V dbl	4
josiflexa x	Bellicent	pink-V sgl
vulgaris	Big Blue	blue-III sgl	2
hyacinthiflora x	Blanche Sweet	blue-III	3
vulgaris	Bleuatre	blue-III	3
vulgaris	Blue Skies	blue-III	4
vulgaris	Bridal Memories	wht-I sgl	5
vulgaris	Burgundy Queen	pur-VII sgl	5
vulgaris	California Rose	pink-V sgl	5
prestoniae x	Calphurnia	lilac-IV sgl
vulgaris	Catawba Pink	pink-V dbl
vulgaris	Charles Joly	pur-VII dbl	5
vulgaris	Charm	pink-V sgl	5
oblata var. dilatata	Cheyenne	blue-III sgl	1
vulgaris	Christophe Colomb	lilac-IV sgl	4
vulgaris	Clyde Heard	red-VI sgl	2
vulgaris	Common Purple	pur	2
vulgaris	Common White	wht	2
vulgaris	Congo	red-VI sgl	4
prestoniae x	Coral	pk-V sgl
quatrobrida x	Dancing Druid	red-VI sgl
vulgaris	Dappled Dawn	red-VI sgl	2
vulgaris	Dark Night	pur-VII sgl	3
prestoniae	Dawn	pink-V sgl
prestoniae	Desdemona	blue-III sgl
prestoniae x	Donald Wyman	pur-VII sgl
vulgaris	Edith Cavelle	wht-I dbl	1
vulgaris	Edmond Boissier	pur-VII sgl	5
vulgaris	Edward Gardner	pink-V dbl	5
vulgaris	Ekwanok	lilac-IV dbl	2
josiflexa x	Elaine	wht-I sgl
prestoniae x	Elinor	blue-III sgl
hyacinthiflora x	Esther Staley	pk-V sgl	3
vulgaris	Etna	pur-VII sgl	5
hyacinthiflora	Evangeline	pur-VII sgl	3
quintobrida x	Eventide	vio-II sgl	3
hyacinthiflora x	Excel	lilac-IV sgl	3
x	Ferna Alexander	pink-V sgl
vulgaris	Firmament	blue-III sgl	5
vulgaris	Fr. John L. Fiala	wht-I dbl	1
prestoniae x	Francisca	pur-VII sgl
vulgaris	General Sheridan	wht-I dbl	1
julianae	George Eastman	red-VI sgl
vulgaris	Glory	red-VI sgl	4
wolfii x	Hagny	pink-V
prestoniae	Helen	pink-V sgl
prestoniae	Hiawatha	red-VI sgl
prestoniae x	Isabella	lilac-IV sgl
prestoniae x	James MacFarlane	pk-V sgl
prestoniae x	Jessica	vio-II sgl
josiflexa x	Jessie Hepler	red-VI sgl
tribrida x	Josee	blue-III sgl
prestoniae x	Juliet	red-VI sgl
vulgaris	Katherine Havemeyer	med pk-V dbl	1
vulgaris	Kosmos	vio-II sgl
vulgaris	Krasavitsa Moskvy	wht-I dbl	1
	Kum Bum
tribrida x	Lark Song	pk-V sgl
vulgaris	Lavender Lady	pur-VII sgl	5
vulgaris	Leon Gambetta	lilac-IV dbl	4
vulgaris	Letha House	red-VI sgl	3
vulgaris	Little Boy Blue		5
vulgaris	Lois Amee Utley	pink-V dbl
vulgaris	Lucie Baltet	pink-V sgl	4
vulgaris	Ludwig Spaeth	pur-VII sgl	3
vulgaris	Marie Finon	wht-I sgl	4
vulgaris	Marie Frances	pk-V sgl	2
vulgaris	Marie Legraye	wht-I sgl	3
vulgaris	Marlyensis	lav-IV sgl	3
hyacinthiflora	Mary Short	pink-V dbl
vulgaris	Michael Buchner	lilac-IV dbl	2
tribrida x	Minuet	pk-V sgl
prestoniae x	Miss Canada	pk-V sgl
vulgaris	Miss Ellen Willmott	wht-I dbl	5
patula	Miss Kim	vio-II sgl
vulgaris	Mme Lemoine	wht-I dbl	2
vulgaris	Mme. Casimir Perier	wht-I dbl	2
vulgaris	Monge	pur-VII sgl	5
vulgaris	Monique Lemoine	wht-I dbl	4
vulgaris	Montaigne	pk-V dbl	1
vulgaris	Mrs W.E. Marshall	pur-VII sgl	2
vulgaris	Mrs. Ed Harding	red-VI dbl	2
hyacinthiflora x	Mt Baker	wht-I sgl	4
vulgaris	Nadezhda	vio-II dbl	1
prestoniae x	Nike	vio-II sgl
prestoniae	Nocturne	blue-III sgl
vulgaris	Olimpiada Kolesnikova	lilac-IV dbl	5
vulgaris	Olivier de Serres	blue-III dbl	3
villosa	Onarga	pink-V sgl
vulgaris	P.P. Konshalovskii	blue-III dbl	4
meyeri	Palibin	vio-II sgl
vulgaris	Paul Thirion	red-VI dbl	5
vulgaris	Pixie	wht-I sgl
hyacinthiflora x	Pocahontas (blight)	pur-VII sgl	3
prestoniae x	Portia	pink-V sgl
vulgaris	Prairie Petite	pur-VII sgl
vulgaris	Pres. Grevy	blue-III dbl	1
vulgaris	Pres. Lincoln	blue-III sgl	3
vulgaris	President Harding	pur-VII sgl	2
vulgaris	President Poincare	red-VI dbl
vulgaris	Primrose	wht-I sgl	3
vulgaris	Prodige	pur-VII sgl	4
yunanensis	Prophecy	vio-II sgl
chinensis x	Red Rothamagensis	red-VI sgl	1
josiflexa x	Redwine	red-VI sgl
vulgaris	Rochester	wht-I	4
hyacinthiflora	Royal Purple	pur-VII dbl	5
josiflexa x	Royalty	pur-VII sgl
vulgaris	Ruhm von Horstenstein	red-VI sgl	5
nanceiana x	Rutlilant	pur-VII sgl
vulgaris	Sarah Sands	pur-VII sgl	3
chinensis	Saugeana	pur-VII sgl	1
vulgaris	Sensation \| (close)	pur-VII sgl	2
hyacinthiflora	Sierra Snow	wht-I sgl	4
prestoniae	Silvia	pink-V sgl
hyacinthiflora	Sister Justina	wht-I sgl
x	Swegiflexa	pink-V sgl
x	Tinkerbelle	pink-V sgl
vulgaris	Victor Lemoine	lilac-IV dbl	2
vulgaris	Volcan	pur-VII dgl
vulgaris	Wedgewood Blue	blue-III sgl	3
vulgaris	Wonderblue	blue-III sgl	5
vulgaris	Yankee Doodle	pur-VII sgl	5
josikaea		vio-II sgl
laciniata
meyeri		vio-II sgl	1
persica		lilac-IV sgl
reflexa		pink-V sgl
villosa		pink-V sgl
wolfii		red-VI sgl