Bushes That Look Like Lilacs Gorgeous Alternatives for Your Garden
Lilacs are beloved spring-blooming shrubs, but their brief period of glory and sometimes overgrown habit can be limiting. Luckily, many other plants share the charming blossoms and form of lilacs while offering key differences. Keep reading to discover beautiful bushes that resemble lilacs for diverse landscapes.
Korean Lilac (Syringa meyeri)
The Korean lilac is a compact shrub reaching just 4-5 feet tall and wide. In late spring, it produces abundant fragrant lavender-pink blooms that look like small common lilac flowers. It has a neat, dense branching habit and good powdery mildew resistance. Korean lilac works nicely in borders, foundations and containers with full sun exposure.
Dwarf Korean Lilac (Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’)
A dwarf cultivar of Korean lilac ‘Palibin’ matures at just 4-5 feet tall and wide. Light pink buds open to sweetly fragrant pale purple blooms making it ideal for small spaces like rock gardens. It flowers prolifically in spring through early summer with attractive green foliage.
Bloomerang Lilac (Syringa ‘Bloomerang’)
The reblooming Bloomerang lilac series only reaches 3-4 feet tall and wide. The petite plants produce familiar lilac flowers then rebloom from summer into fall. Available in both purple and pink-purple, they’re perfect for borders, foundations and containers.
Beautybush (Kolkwitzia amabilis)
Beautybush is not a true lilac but has arching branches bearing abundant light pink bell-like blooms resembling lilac panicles. It grows 8-10 feet tall and wide with a suckering habit. Beautybush prefers full sun and is quite drought tolerant once established.
Weigela (Weigela florida)
Certain weigela varieties like ‘Pink Princess’ produce clusters of tubular pink flowers that resemble lilacs. These compact reblooming shrubs reach just 4-5 feet tall and wide. Weigela thrives in full sun to light shade and attracts hummingbirds.
Miss Kim Lilac (Syringa patula ‘Miss Kim’)
A compact lilac reaching just 6 feet tall and wide, ‘Miss Kim’ offers fragrant lavender blooms. Its dark green foliage turns burgundy-red in fall for seasonal interest. The reblooming dwarf habit makes it perfect for perennial beds, borders and foundations.
Dwarf Korean Spice Lilac (Syringa meyeri ‘Dwarf Korean’)
This compact lilac cultivar grows just 4-5 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Its extremely fragrant flowers open rich pink then fade to pale lavender. With dense mildew-resistant foliage, it works beautifully in borders and mixed beds where its fragrance can be appreciated.
These lilac alternatives provide the beauty and appeal of lilacs in sizes and colors to suit any garden. Plant them in existing beds, combine them creatively, or display them in containers on porches and patios. You’ll soon forget you don’t have real lilacs!
When to Plant Lilac Lookalikes
Most lilac alternatives bloom in spring just like classic lilacs. To extend the floral display, plant early, mid and late spring flowering varieties together. Most rebloom sporadically into summer or fall. Plant containerized nursery shrubs in spring or fall.
Where to Plant Bushes That Look Like Lilacs
Here are some tips on incorporating lilac lookalikes into your landscape:
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Use compact varieties like dwarf lilacs and Bloomerang in borders, rock gardens and containers.
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Feature fragrant types like Korean Spice bush near patios or walkways.
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Allow larger growers like French lilacs and beautybush to spread in the backyard.
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Blend purple and white flowering shrubs for a classic combination.
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Underplant with bulbs and perennials like iris, peonies and poppies.
Caring for Lilac Lookalike Shrubs
Lilac alternatives share similar growing conditions and care:
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Most prefer full sun exposure. Provide at least 6 hours of direct sun daily.
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Well-drained soil enriched with compost at planting encourages healthy growth.
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Established shrubs are quite drought tolerant but appreciate weekly watering during dry periods.
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Prune after flowering to shape and rejuvenate plants. Remove spent blooms promptly.
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Apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring to support flowering and growth.
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Monitor for common lilac pests like powdery mildew, borers and scales.
With numerous choices available, you can find lilac lookalikes perfect for any garden size or style. Use these fragrant, floriferous beauties as specimens or plant in groups to mimic the abundance of classic lilac blooms. Soon your garden will be filled with the nostalgic beauty of “lilacs” from spring through fall!
Where to Plant Lilac Shrubs
Though specific planting directions will depend on the variety you choose, most Lilac Shrubs like full to partial sun (4 to 8 hours of sun per day) and well-drained soil. And of course, ensure that youâre in the correct growing zone for planting Lilac Shrubs
From there, the actual planting process is simple. Dig a hole large enough to accommodate your shrubâs root ball (with some room to grow), place your shrub and back fill the soil. Finally, water the surrounding soil to settle your shrubâs roots and mulch to conserve moisture.
Fresh aroma and rich purple color.
Classic aroma and amazing purple color merge, making our Lilac Shrubs second to none. And because you get fresh blooms and rich green foliage for months, all hassle-free, Lilac Shrubs are effortlessly elegant.
How to Prune Lilacs
FAQ
What looks like lilacs?
Chaste Tree: aka Vitex Agnus-Costus ‘Shoal Creek’
Native to southern Europe and central Asia. Flowers are shaped like a lilac, is a purple color, very fragrant, and grows to 10-15′ in this area.
How to tell the difference between lilac and buddleia?
The most distinguishing characteristic of the lilac tree is its heart shaped leaves which are both smaller and rounder compared to those of Buddleia.Aug 27, 2019
Is there a lilac shrub?
Proven Winners lilac or syringas shrubs are deciduous and known for their beautiful blooms and intense fragrance. Once established, these plants resist disease, resist deer, and will rebloom for seasons to come.
What is the Old Wives tale about lilacs?
Sadly lilacs have become associated with bad omens and many believe that bringing lilacs into the house will bring bad luck and possibly death to the inhabitants. This probably originates from the Victorians who would use the strong fragrance of lilac flowers to mask the smell of a dead body in the house.
What flowers look like lilacs?
Delphinium, Hyacinth, Stock, Buddleia, Wisteria, Crape Myrtle, and Hydrangea are some gorgeous lilac look-alikes. If it’s not the form but the texture of the papery leaf you are looking at, many people can easily make a mistake distinguishing these two species when it comes to flowers that look like lilacs the most.
What colors are common lilac flowers?
Gardeners love the common lilac bush for its fragrant blue, pink, purple, or white flowers. Lilac plants are also hardy shrubs that don’t require much maintenance and can grow almost anywhere.
Are lilac shrubs hardy?
Lilac shrubs are hardy plants that don’t require much maintenance and can grow almost anywhere. They are in the Oleaceae family, which means they are related to the olive tree, jasmine, ash tree, and forsythia shrubs. Gardeners love the common lilac bush for its fragrant blue, pink, purple, or white flowers.
What does a common purple lilac bush look like?
The common purple lilac bush (Syringa vulgaris) is a large flowering bush with dense foliage and cone-like blooms. It belongs to the Oleaceae family, which includes the olive tree, jasmine, ash tree, and forsythia shrubs. Gardeners appreciate this plant for its fragrant blue, pink, purple, or white flowers.
What color are the flowers of the Japanese lilac tree?
The Japanese lilac tree (Syringa reticulata) can grow to 25 ft. (7.5 m) tall and it has white fragrant flowers. Lilac flowers look like conical or pyramid-like clusters of smaller flowers.
How do I choose a lilac bush?
Choosing between a lilac tree and a lilac bush is typically based on available space. Lilac bushes vary in size and can fit into smaller spots within a garden. A lilac tree needs a place to grow up to 20 ft. tall and 15 ft. wide. Both need sunlight to flower well. Find out why is your lilac bush not blooming.