Syringa reticulata - Japanese Tree Lilac (Oleaceae) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Syringa reticulata is a tree form Lilac with showy, like the branches of Oriental Cherry (Prunus early June, creamy-white inflorescences. Japanese serrulata) Tree Lilac is properly used as a specimen, -stems are constantly forking in a dichotomous entranceway, or street tree without powdery mildew pattern, usually topped by twin terminal buds at the on its foliage. end of the growing season -floral buds are slightly larger than vegetative buds FEATURES Trunk Form -tree form may be either multi-trunked, or single- -medium-sized ornamental tree trunked and limbed up, while the shrub form is multi- or very large ornamental shrub trunked and branching widely at its base -maturing at about 25' tall x 20' -mature trunks are gray, very cherry-like, remaining wide, although larger under smooth for a long time with horizontal lenticels, then optimum conditions eventually transitioning to bark with plates and -upright oval growth habit, fissures becoming more rounded with age USAGE -medium growth rate Function -shrub form may be utilized in borders, rows, group Culture plantings, or as deciduous screens -full sun to partial sun -tree form is found at entranceways, spacious -best performance occurs in full sun in a moist, well- foundations, large raised planters, as a lawn drained soil of average fertility, but it is highly specimen, or as a street tree adaptable to poor soils, compacted soils, various soil Texture pHs, and drought -medium texture in foliage and when bare -propagated by rooted stem cuttings, grafting -thick density in foliage and when bare (trees have an cultivars onto rootstock, or seeds open to average density when they are young) -no diseases and pests of ornamental significance Assets (including resistance to powdery mildew, borers, and -large, showy, creamy-white inflorescences in early scales) June -commonly available in the trade -shrub form and tree form selections (with the single- Foliage leader tree form being quite stately, especially when -medium to dark green, opposite, ovate, with an acute in flower) apex and dull shiny upper surface, and a subtle -virtually disease- and pest-free, with no powdery reticulate branching pattern of the leaf veins near the mildew on the foliage leaf margin Liabilities -autumn color is faded green to yellowish green- -inflorescences are considered by most to be brown, and ornamentally poor unpleasantly fragrant Flowers -poor autumn color -appear in early June Habitat -creamy-white to light-yellow -Zones 3 to 7 -attractive and fine-textured 10-12" long pyramidal -Native to Japan inflorescences, held well above the fully expanded foliage SELECTIONS -fragrant to malodorous, depending on personal Alternates preferences (contrasts with the popular sweet smell of -trees with showy late spring or early summer other lilacs) inflorescences (Koelreuteria paniculata, Magnolia Fruits grandiflora, Magnolia virginiana, etc.) -immature fruits are lime-green, transitioning to -good ornamental street trees (all must be tree form) yellowish green or light brown in autumn, noticeable (Acer campestre, Amelanchier, Cornus racemosa, against the darker green foliage but not ornamentally Crataegus x lavallei, Koelreuteria paniculata, Malus, attractive Pyrus calleryana, Viburnum lentago, etc.) -winter persistent, brown, ellipsoid, dehiscent Cultivars – Variants – Related species capsules occur on large fruiting stalks, with the stalk -Syringa reticulata 'Ivory Silk' - usually flowers often persisting into the following spring lightly at 5' tall and profusely at 10' tall, with about Twigs the same mature height and width as the straight -light brown and stout on young winter stems, species, may be grafted onto species rootstock and becoming shiny gray and lenticel-streaked but usually pruned to a single leader, for a stately street remaining smooth on young branches, and very much tree or specimen growth habit; the cultivar of choice .