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Californian lilac or common lilac? How to tell them apart
Ceanothus · Syringa vulgaris
How to tell them apart – Californian lilac: shrub with small, glossy, often wrinkled leaves and dense clusters of bright blue flowers; common lilac: large, heart-shaped leaves and big lilac flower clusters on a tall shrub.
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How do you recognise them?
- Californian lilac
- Shrub with small, glossy, often wrinkled leaves and dense clusters of bright blue flowers.
- Common lilac
- Shrub with heart-shaped leaves and fragrant lilac or white flower panicles in May.
- Compared with Californian lilac: large, heart-shaped leaves and big lilac flower clusters on a tall shrub.
| Californian lilac | Common lilac | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Alternate, 1–7 cm, oval to elliptic, finely toothed and glossy; often with three distinct veins from the base or with deeply impressed veins. | Opposite, heart-shaped to oval, 5–12 cm, untoothed and hairless. |
| Flowering | Dense clusters of small blue, sometimes white or pink flowers; the evergreen species flower in May–June, the deciduous ones from July to October (May–July). | Large panicles of fragrant flowers in lilac, purple or white (May) (April–May). |
| Fruit | Small, three-angled capsules. | Brown capsules that stay on the shrub for a long time. |
| Bark | Green to reddish-brown twigs. | Grey, becoming furrowed with age. |
| Shape and height | Shrub, 1–3 m | Shrub, 3–6 m |
| Site | Full sun, any garden soil, dry | Full sun, any garden soil, normal |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted | No, planted |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | – | Yes, for bees and butterflies |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | March–April and June–July | May–June |
What does it mean for your garden?
- Choose what suits your soil, your light and the space you have: see the growing conditions in the table.
Read on
- Plant profile: Californian lilac
- Plant profile: Common lilac
- Californian lilac: when and how to prune
- Common lilac: when and how to prune
- Identification key
Also looks like
Identify by feature
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.