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Syringa vulgaris

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The Common Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) is a deciduous plant from the olive family (Oleaceae), originating from southeastern Europe, where it grows in the wild on rocky hills. It is a very common ornamental plant in gardens, because of the attractive, sweet smell of its flowers. Most garden plants are cultivars with flowers varying in color from white to dark lilac.

It is a small bush or tree, growing 6-7 m high, but most garden varieties won't exceed 3-4 m. The lightgreen, oval to cordate leaves are glaucous with a mucronate apex, reaching a length of 10 cm. They have a pinnate leaf venation.

The four-petaled flowers are cup-shaped, usually lilac to mauve in color, but sometimes white. They are arranged in a large, dense, racemose inflorescence.

The fruit is a smooth capsule.