Types

• There are more than 1,000 varieties of lilacs.
  
  

Characteristics

• Lilacs come in a variety of colors, but most commonly they are white, pink, purple, lavender and blue. Bloom types vary from single to double petal plants, and from small, 3-foot plants to 30-foot bushes.
  
  

Collections

• Highland Park in Rochester, New York, has the largest collection of lilac varieties in the world. The park has more than 500 kinds of lilacs.
  
  

Life Cycle

• Most lilac varieties are extremely hardy and can live in most environments. They are perennial plants that have a continuous life cycle and do not need to be replanted every season. Some lilacs can live for hundreds of years.
  
  

Benefits

• While lilacs are short bloomers, they provide thousands of flowers and have a long life. They emit a pleasant sent that is far-reaching, and once plants are established, they need very little care.