Syringa vulgaris Rose de Moscou - Common lilac

The Moscow Pink Lilac®, known as Syringa vulgaris 'Minkarl' in Latin, is a magnificent ornamental bush prized for its double flowering in a pinkish-white colour and its subtle fragrance. Its vigour allows it to be planted in a flowering hedge or a rustic shrub bed, but its moderate growth also makes it suitable for small gardens.

The 'Rose de Moscou' Lilac belongs to the Oleaceae family. It is a horticultural creation from the Mc Kay Nurseries in the United States. This cultivar is a mutation of the famous Syringa vulgaris 'Belle De Moscou'.

The wild species Syringa vulgaris, commonly known as common lilac or European lilac, is native to Southeast Europe and Western Asia, specifically the Balkan Peninsula. It arrived in Western Europe at the end of the Renaissance. In the wild, this robust plant with highly fragrant blue-violet flowers colonises rocky hills and withstands cold winters.

Syringa vulgaris 'Rose de Moscou' is a fairly fast-growing shrub that reaches approximately 2.50m in height and width in 10-12 years. It has a bushy and dense habit. Its leaves are opposite on the branches, simple, heart-shaped, and 5 to 12 cm long. They form a dark green foliage that creates a beautiful backdrop for its pastel flowers. This deciduous foliage turns yellow in autumn before falling. The flowering period in April-May, consists of spectacular clusters of double white flowers with shades of lilac pink, each measuring between 15 and 30 cm long. These flowers emit a light and pleasant fragrance. The smooth, grey bark of this bush is attractive in winter.

Easy to grow in temperate climates and up to medium mountain altitudes, the common lilac 'Rose de Moscou' easily adapts to ordinary, moist, preferably limestone, well-drained soil. It is perfect as a hedge to create flowering screens or as a focal point in the garden. It also fits well in shrub beds. To accompany it, choose other worry-free shrubs, such as a mock orange Philadelphus coronarius, Deutzia scabra, Van Houtte spirea, and Weigela florida 'Bristol Ruby'. Tall shrub roses such as 'Felicia' or 'Complicata' also pair very well with lilacs.