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Syringa is a genus of 12 currently recognized species of flowering plant in the olive family or Oleaceae called lilacs. These lilacs are native to woodland and scrub from southeastern Europe to eastern Asia, and widely and commonly cultivated in temperate zone elsewhere.Flora Europaea: SyringaFlora of China: 丁香属 ding xiang shu SyringaFlora of Pakistan: SyringaGermplasm Resources Information Network: Syringa
The genus is most closely related to Ligustrum (privet), classified with it in Oleaceae tribus Oleeae subtribus Ligustrinae.University of Oxford, Oleaceae information site: New classification of the Oleaceae
Lilacs are used as food plants by the of some moth species, including lilac leaf mining moth, Sphinx ligustri, copper underwing, scalloped oak and Svensson's copper underwing.
The flowers grow in large , and in several species have a strong fragrance. Flowering varies between mid spring to early summer, depending on the species.
Homonym Syringa Tourn. ex Adans. is a heterotypic synonym of Philadelphus.
Lilac wood is not commonly used or commercially harvested due to the small size of the tree. It is a relatively hard wood, with an estimated Janka hardness of 2,350 lbf (10,440 N), and is reportedly good for woodturning.
The sapwood is typically cream-coloured and the heartwood can have various streaks of brown and purple.
Species have been historically used in various traditional medicines in Asia for treating ailments including cough, diarrhea, acute icteric hepatitis, vomiting, abdominal pain, and bronchitis. Compounds isolated from species of Syringa include such as syringin and such as oleuropein. Substituent compounds, such as iridoids, as well as crude extracts from Syringa plants have been shown to have to have effects including antitumor, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antifungal activities in pharmacological studies.
In Greece, Macedonia, Lebanon, and Cyprus, the lilac is strongly associated with Easter time because it flowers around that time; it is consequently called paschalia.
In the poem When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd, by Walt Whitman, lilacs are a reference to Abraham Lincoln.
The music-hall song by Ivor Novello, We'll Gather Lilacs, first performed in 1945, speaks of the longing of two lovers to be reunited in a traditional English rural setting. It has since been recorded and performed by numerous artists.
Syringa vulgaris is the state flower of New Hampshire, because it "is symbolic of that hardy character of the men and women of the Granite State."
(1992). 9780333474945, Macmillan. ISBN 9780333474945 One particular cultivar, trademark Bloomerang, first blooms in spring and then again late summer through fall.
Fruit
The fruit is a dry, brown capsule, splitting in two at maturity to release the two winged .
Etymology
The English common name "lilac" is from the French lilac via the from meaning the Indigofera or نیلک nilak meaning "bluish"; both lilanj and nilak come from Persian نیل nīl "indigo" or نیلي nili "dark blue".
Taxonomy
The genus Syringa was first formally described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus and the description was published in Species Plantarum. The genus name Syringa is derived from Ancient Greek word syrinx meaning "pipe" or "tube" and refers to the hollow branches of Syringa vulgaris.
Cultivation and uses
Lilacs are popular shrubs in and throughout the temperate zone, and several hybrids and numerous have been developed. The term French lilac is often used to refer to modern double-flowered cultivars, thanks to the work of prolific breeder Victor Lemoine. Lilacs grow most successfully in well-drained soils, particularly those based on chalk.Hillier Nurseries, The Hillier Manual of Trees and Shrubs, David and Charles, 1998, p. 659 They flower on old wood, and produce more flowers if unpruned. If pruned, the plant responds by producing fast-growing young vegetative growth with no flowers, in an attempt to restore the removed branches. Lilac bushes can be prone to powdery mildew disease.
Symbolism
Lilacs are often considered to symbolize first love.
Festivals
Several locations in North America hold annual , including:
Species
Species and subspecies currently accepted as of July 2016:
Hybrids
Gallery
External links
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