Syringa vulgaris Charles Joly - Common Lilac

The Syringa vulgaris Charles Joly, also known as Common Lilac, produces beautiful compact clusters of tightly packed large double wine-red and fragrant flowers in spring. It is a deciduous bush with a dense habit and vigorous growth. It is adorned with light green, ovate and pointed leaves. This old-fashioned variety will bring a beautiful touch of colour and fragrance to the garden. It is equally interesting as a flowering hedge or as a standalone plant, as well as in bouquets. Easy to cultivate in all types of soil, in full sun or in partial shade.

The Syringa Charles Joly is an old variety, obtained by Victor Lemoine in 1896. Belonging to the olive family, it comes from the wild species Syringa vulgaris, the common lilac, native to southeastern Europe. 'Charles Joly' forms a deciduous bush with a dense and bushy habit, reaching 5.50m (18ft) in height and a spread of 3.50m (11ft 6in). It is covered with light green ovate or heart-shaped leaves measuring 10cm (3.9in) in length. Its growth is quite fast, increased by rich and moist soil. This variety blooms abundantly in April-May, in the form of pyramidal panicles measuring 15 to 20cm (7.9in), composed of small double, wine-red flowers, exuding an intense fragrance. The panicles are grouped in pairs at the end of the previous year's shoots. By regularly pruning the faded flowers, a small second blooming can be observed in summer. The flowers attract many butterflies.

Easy to cultivate, very vigorous and long-lived, the Charles Joly Lilac embodies the charm and simplicity found in old gardens. It is a precious asset for a scented garden, with its flowering that will accompany that of hawthorns and brooms, as well tree peonies. It can be planted on the edge of a grove, in front of taller trees, in groups, as a standalone plant near the house, or as a natural hedge mixed with other species (flowering apple trees, Japanese cherry trees, Chinese almond trees, Japanese quinces, deutzias...). Its beautiful fragrant flowers are appreciated in bouquets, accompanied by garden irises and peonies, in spring.