We are in that exquisite overlap of time when the American lilac is just finishing its blooming cycle and the Korean lilac is just starting its own show. These two varieties of lilac are a match made in sniffing heaven, with one picking up right as the other is finishing, extending the season of sweet perfume.
If you have to choose just one of these for your garden, I’d give the edge to the Korean lilac, which begins when there is warmer weather for enjoying its blooms. Its seemingly delicate foliage belies the fact that I’ve never seen it afflicted by powdery mildew at all, something that has consistently felled the American lilac leaves without fail over the past ten years, no matter how much circulation they get. The Korean version is also more manageable size-wise for those of us with limited space; they can be kept to a small shrub, or let loose to grow into a substantial size. (The American lilac will quickly soar higher than most adults can reach if unchecked; Andy remembers his Mom perched dangerously on a ladder to reach some of the blooms for cutting.)
One final bonus for the Korean lilac: it tends to re-bloom in late summer, when a few cool nights seem to trick the plant into thinking it’s time to flower. There’s something very magical about a re-bloom.
