Share your pictures? Hide split images
I have read and agree the terms and conditions of service.

Syringa velutina Josée - Lilac

Syringa x velutina Josée
Hybrid Lilac

4,7/5
5 reviews
2 reviews
0 reviews
0 reviews
0 reviews

Lovely quality shrub, slightly smaller than expected, but it's a good sturdy specimen.

Laura , 12/01/2024

Leave a review → View all reviews →

Shipping country:

Schedule delivery date,

and select date in basket

This plant carries a 24 months recovery warranty

More information

Value-for-money
A remarkable plant for small spaces. This small shrub, bushy as desired, produces beautiful, delicately fragrant clusters of pale pink that fade as they bloom. It blooms in April-May and slightly re-blooms at the end of summer. Its foliage turns yellow in autumn. It thrives in the sun, in any healthy and well-drained soil, and tolerates limestone.
Flower size
12 cm
Height at maturity
2 m
Spread at maturity
1.75 m
Exposure
Sun, Partial shade
Hardiness
Hardy down to -23°C
Soil moisture
Dry soil, Moist soil
plantfit-full

Would this plant suit my garden?

Set up your Plantfit profile →

Best planting time March, October
Recommended planting time February to April, September to November
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Flowering time April to May, September to October
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Description

This Chinese Lilac, the 'Josée' Syringa, is a small, fragrant and very floriferous hybrid which flowers again in late summer. Its appearance is similar to that of Syringa microphylla. All these qualities make it a perfect candidate for small gardens. The bushy shrub produces beautiful clusters of a bright pinkish-lilac colour in fading buds when fully bloomed, which give off an authentic lilac fragrance. It blooms in early spring and again sporadically in late summer or early autumn. This variety also looks good in a small flowering hedge, planted in groups, or even isolated near the house to enjoy its wonderfully fragrant and abundant flowering.

The 'Josée' lilac is a French horticultural creation dating back to 1971, thanks to Georges Morel, an INRA engineer, specialist, and pioneer in in-vitro culture. It is the result of the hybridisation of Syringa velutina, microphylla, and meyeri. All these plants belong to the olive family.

The silhouette forms a rounded, compact, and ramified bush, almost as wide as it is tall. When mature, it will not exceed 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in height with a spread of 1.75 m (5 ft 8 in). Its growth is relatively slow, encouraged by rich and moist soil. This variety blooms abundantly in April-May, a few days before common lilacs, in the form of very fragrant pyramidal panicles,  10 to 14 cm (3.9 to 5.5 in) long, composed of small single flowers, light pink-lilac in colour, and rose-purple buds. These inflorescences are grouped in bouquets at the tips of the previous year's shoots, and again in late summer or early autumn, with the current year's branches producing a few inflorescences. This flowering attracts many butterflies and pollinating insects. Its deciduous foliage, composed of small leaves 3 to 4 cm (1.2 to 1.6 in) long, turns a beautiful yellow colour in autumn.

Whether in flowers, for use in perfume, as part of childhood memories, or even as symbols of significant events, everyone has a good reason to love lilacs, as endearing as they are unpretentious. The 'Josée' Lilac is no exception:  hardy, easy to grow in ordinary but well-drained soil, even in cold or dry regions, vigourous and undemanding, it embodies the charm and simplicity inherent to old gardens. It is a major element in the creation of scented gardens, even those of a small size, with its flowering accompanying that of laburnums and pink or white brooms. It can be planted on the edge of a grove, in groups, isolated, or as a free hedge mixed with other species (flowering apple trees, Japanese cherry trees, Chinese almond trees, Japanese quinces, Deutzias, etc.). Its highly fragrant clusters are appreciated in spring bouquets, along with the first garden irises, early peonies, bellflowers, and florist's ranunculus.

Syringa velutina Josée - Lilac in pictures

Syringa velutina Josée - Lilac (Flowering) Flowering
Syringa velutina Josée - Lilac (Foliage) Foliage

Plant habit

Height at maturity 2 m
Spread at maturity 1.75 m
Habit Irregular, bushy
Growth rate normal

Flowering

Flower colour pink
Flowering time April to May, September to October
Inflorescence Cluster
Flower size 12 cm
Fragrance Very fragrant, lilac
Bee-friendly Attracts pollinators
Good for cut flowers Cut flower blooms

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous
Foliage colour medium green

Botanical data

Genus

Syringa

Species

x velutina

Cultivar

Josée

Family

Oleaceae

Other common names

Hybrid Lilac

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference843411

Planting and care

The 'Josée' Syringa should be planted from November to March and from September to June. It adapts to any ordinary soil, but prefers well-drained, deep, loose, not too dry, even slightly calcareous soils. A complete fertiliser should be applied every year at the start of vegetation. It is preferable to plant it in full sun or light shade in hot climates, as its flowering is better when it receives maximum light and winters are well contrasted. It is useful to cut off faded inflorescences after flowering to avoid fruiting, which is not of great interest but will exhaust the plant. This will promote a late summer rebloom and a more abundant flowering the following year. This variety blooms on both the previous year's shoots and the current year's branches. However, avoid severe pruning that limits spring flowering, unless your Syringa becomes too large.

Planting period

Best planting time March, October
Recommended planting time February to April, September to November

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow, Woodland edge
Type of use Border, Free-standing, Hedge
Hardiness Hardy down to -23°C (USDA zone 6a) Show map
Ease of cultivation Beginner
Planting density 1 per m2
Exposure Sun, Partial shade
Soil pH Neutral, Calcareous, Any
Soil type Clayey (heavy), Clayey-chalky (heavy and alkaline), Silty-loamy (rich and light)
Soil moisture Dry soil, Moist soil, deep, loose, well-drained soil

Care

Pruning instructions A light training pruning should be carried out if necessary at the end of winter. It is also useful to remove faded flowers.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time February to March, June
Soil moisture Dry soil, Moist soil
Disease resistance Very good
Overwinter Can be left in the ground
4,7/5
No reviews
No reviews
No reviews

Haven't found what you were looking for?

We only deliver seed and bulb products to your country. If you add other products to your basket, they cannot be shipped.