Plant Profile: Syringa reticulata

Taxonomy: Syringa reticulata

Names

Japanese Tree Lilac

  • Photo of Syringa reticulata (Syringa reticulatas)

Phonetic Spelling:si-RING-gah reh-tick-yoo-LAY-tuh

Genus:Syringa

Species:reticulata

Family:Oleaceae

The Japanese Tree Lilac is a compact flowering tree or sizable shrub belonging to the olive family. It thrives in full sunlight and prefers organically rich, well-drained acidic soils, although it can also adapt to heavy clay and urban environments, as well as withstand deer browsing. Its striking, fragrant flowers draw in hummingbirds and butterflies, making it an excellent choice for use as a street tree, a substantial hedge, or a standout specimen in landscaping.

Syringa reticulata Feature Summary

Syringa reticulata Image Gallery

Tags

#hummingbirds
#showy flowers
#small tree
#fragrant flowers
#interesting bark
#specimen
#white flowers
#wildlife plant
#nectar plant
#flowering tree
#hedges
#summer flowers
#deer resistant
#foundation planting
#borders
#screening
#early summer flowers
#exfoliating bark
#small group plantings
#clay soils tolerant
#patio tree
#butterfly friendly
#decks

Similar Plants

Syringa reticulata is often confused with:

Syringa reticulata Feature Summary

Attributes
Flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
Fruit
Brown capsules remain on the plant through the winter
Brown/Copper
Flowers
Creamy white fragrant flowers on upright panicles in early summer. The flowers smell like privet.
White
Cream/Tan
Leaves
Dark green simple laceolate to ovate leaves
Ovate
Lanceolate
Bark
Red-brown peeling bark turns gray with age
Dark Gray
Dark Brown
Red/Burgundy
Stem
Pith filled easily hollowed out stems
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Tree
Rounded
Oval
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Acid (<6.0)
Good Drainage
Moist
24-60 feet
12-24 feet
High Organic Matter
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Small groups
Specimen
Flowering Tree
Street Tree
Small Tree
Butterflies
Hummingbirds

Syringa reticulata Attributes

Syringa reticulata: Wildlife Value

Flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

Syringa reticulata: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)

Powdery mildew, borers, scale

Syringa reticulata: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Syringa reticulata Fruit

Syringa reticulata: Fruit Description

Brown capsules remain on the plant through the winter

Syringa reticulata: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Syringa reticulata: Fruit Color

grass
Brown/Copper

Syringa reticulata: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Syringa reticulata Flowers

Syringa reticulata: Flower Description

Creamy white fragrant flowers on upright panicles in early summer. The flowers smell like privet.

Syringa reticulata: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Cream/Tan
filter_vintage
White

Syringa reticulata: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Syringa reticulata: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Syringa reticulata: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Syringa reticulata Leaves

Syringa reticulata: Leaf Description

Dark green simple laceolate to ovate leaves

Syringa reticulata: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Syringa reticulata: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Syringa reticulata: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Syringa reticulata: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Syringa reticulata: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Syringa reticulata: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Syringa reticulata Bark

Syringa reticulata: Bark Description

Red-brown peeling bark turns gray with age

Syringa reticulata: Bark Color

grass
Dark Brown
grass
Dark Gray
grass
Red/Burgundy

Syringa reticulata: Surface/Attachment

Bumpy
Exfoliating
Fissured
Furrowed
Lenticels
Papery
Patchy
Peeling
Ridges
Scaly
Shaggy
Shiny
Shredding
Smooth
Spongy

Syringa reticulata Stem

Syringa reticulata: Stem Description

Pith filled easily hollowed out stems

Syringa reticulata: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Syringa reticulata: Pith (Split Longitudinally)

Chambered
Coninuous diphragmed
Continuous homogeneous
Spongy

Syringa reticulata Whole Plant Traits

Syringa reticulata: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Syringa reticulata: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Syringa reticulata: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Syringa reticulata Cultural Conditions

Syringa reticulata: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Syringa reticulata: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Syringa reticulata: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Syringa reticulata: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Syringa reticulata: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Syringa reticulata Landscape

Syringa reticulata: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Syringa reticulata: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Syringa reticulata: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Syringa reticulata: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Syringa reticulata: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees