DESCRIPTION: A breathtaking spring blooming shrub featuring extremely fragrant blooms that emerge red and progress to purple; upright, compact habit, very hardy, tends to sucker, ideal as a low screen; full sun and well-drained soil, allow room for air movement

BOTANICAL NAME: Syringa vulgaris 'Congo'
AVERAGE MATURE HEIGHT: 3 Meters
AVERAGE MATURE SPREAD: 2.5 Meters
SUN EXPOSURE: Full sun
FLOWER COLOUR: Reddish Purple
FLOWERING TIME: Mid spring
FOLIAGE COLOUR: Bluish-green
COLD HARDINESS: Zone 3 ( Should survive up to -39.9° Celsius )
WATER NEEDS: Average
OTHER FEATURES: Attracts Birds & Butterflies, Cut Flower, Deer Resistant, Fragrant, Rabbit Resistant, Bee Friendly

Ornamental Features

Congo Lilac features showy panicles of fragrant red flowers rising above the foliage from late spring to early summer, which emerge from distinctive dark red flower buds. The flowers are excellent for cutting. It has green foliage throughout the season. The heart-shaped leaves do not develop any appreciable fall colour. 

Landscape Attributes

Congo Lilac is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage.

This is a high maintenance shrub that will require regular care and upkeep, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favour of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration:

• Suckering
• Invasive
• Insects

Congo Lilac is recommended for the following landscape applications:

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Congo Lilac will grow to be about 10 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 8 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under average home landscape conditions. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments.