Wildlife
- Feeds birds
- Pollinators
- Butterflies & moths
- Shelter & nesting
The spring flowers draw bees and butterflies, and the dense stems give songbirds nesting cover.
Ships bare root
Mature plant shown. Yours ships dormant and bare root.
What arrives
1 dormant bare-root plant, about 18–24 in tall
- No leaves, no pot, no soil. Roots packed moist.
- Ships in your zone's planting window.
- Leafs out about 4–8 weeks after planting.
shrub
Common Lilac
Syringa vulgaris
- Ships 18–24 in tall
- 1 plant, bare root
- Zones 3–7
- Grows 8–15 ft
$10.95Was $14.95Save 26%
5.0 out of 5 · 2 reviewsThe quick answer
Common lilac is a deciduous shrub for USDA zones 3-7 that grows 8-15 feet tall and 6-12 feet wide. Plant it in full sun (it tolerates light shade but blooms less) in well-drained, neutral to slightly alkaline soil. Buy it for the classic fragrant lavender-purple flowers in late spring.
When it ships to you
Zone scheduleHow many?
plants
Free shipping on orders $75+$75
Healthy deliveryOr we replace it
Shipped dormantTimed to your zone
1-year warrantyStore credit, terms
Common Lilac plant profile
Mature size8–15 ft tall · 6–12 ft wide
Typical (8 ft)Up to 15 ft
Upright, multi-stemmed shrub that slowly widens by suckers into a rounded clump.
USDA hardiness zones3–7
Sun & growth
SlowMediumFast
Full sun gives the most flowers. It tolerates light shade but blooms less.
SoilpH 6.0–8.0
4 acidic6.59 alkaline
Well-drained soil of almost any texture. It does not tolerate soggy ground.
Hedge & screen
Flowers & fruit
Fragrant lavender-purple flower clusters open in mid to late spring. Small dry seed capsules follow and have no ornamental or food value.
Leaves
Heart-shaped, dark green leaves that drop in fall without notable fall color.
Pests & disease
Powdery mildew often shows on leaves in late summer but causes little lasting harm. Lilac borer and scale can attack older stems; renewal pruning helps.
Pruning
Prune right after flowering, because winter or early spring pruning removes next year's flower buds. Every few years remove about a third of the oldest canes at ground level to renew the shrub.
Bare root vs potted
Skip the garden-center markup.
Garden centers buy young plants, pot them, grow them another season and mark them up. We ship yours dormant and bare root, timed to your planting window.
Bare root, from us$10.95ships dormant
Example: 3-gal potted American hazelnut$70–$140online retail prices checked Oct 2026
A year with your Common Lilac
SPRINGFragrant lavender-purple flower clusters in mid to late spring.
SUMMERPrune right after bloom; next year's buds form during summer.
LATE SUMMERDense green screen; powdery mildew may dust leaves but does little harm.
FALLLeaves drop without notable color; good time to plant.
Questions people ask about Common Lilac
When should I prune an old fashioned lilac?
Prune right after it finishes blooming in late spring. Pruning in winter or early spring cuts off the buds that make next year's flowers.
How tall does a common lilac bush get?
Expect 8-15 feet tall and 6-12 feet wide at maturity. Renewal pruning of the oldest canes keeps it shorter and fuller.
Why is my lilac not blooming?
The usual causes are too much shade or pruning at the wrong time of year. Lilacs bloom best with at least six hours of direct sun and pruning only right after flowering.
Do lilacs need another plant to pollinate?
No. Lilac is grown for its flowers, and one shrub blooms fully on its own.
What does the lilac look like when it arrives?
It ships as a dormant, leafless bare-root shrub about 18-24 inches tall. Soak the roots and plant it as soon as you can.
Plant it in 4 steps
- Soak the roots in cold water overnight before planting.
- Dig twice as wide as the roots; plant at the depth it grew.
- Water, then mulch. No fertilizer the first season.
- Water regularly until it's established.
Customer Reviews
Based on 2 reviews
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D
Received my Lilac mid-January in central Virginia. Planted right away [before the rain]. Then I watered twice a day. 3 days later she was showing some green already! Snow just melted & still green & looking even better. Looking forward to spring! Amy (customer Service) was wonderful.
K
Received an almond 3foot bush. Beautiful ❤️
Plant facts checked October 2026 against: NC State Extension, Oregon State University.