Sweetheart lilac blooms in spring a little ahead of the common lilac, and it belongs in a yard with real winters. Plan on a spot with cold enough weather for the buds to mature. Give it a place where early flowers will be seen from a window or walkway.
What Is the Sweetheart Lilac?
Early flowering lilac is the group botanists call Syringa x hyacinthiflora. These shrubs are artificial hybrids, a cross between early lilac (S. oblata) and common lilac (S. vulgaris).
That parentage explains the calendar. Early flowering lilacs open up to ten days before the common lilac, so the first bloom of the lilac season is theirs.
Flower color covers a large range of shades, and the blooms can be single or double. Like every lilac, the plant is a member of the olive family. For mature height and width, check the plant tag at purchase, since size varies from one nursery source to another.
From the almanac
Lilacs in your state
The dates on this page depend on where you live. Your state's page carries its frost dates, its USDA zones and the year laid out month by month.
Northeast
Southeast
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Mississippi
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- West Virginia
Midwest
Southwest
West
Pacific Northwest
Canada
Where Does the Sweetheart Lilac Grow Best?
Early flowering lilacs grow and thrive in Zones 3 through 7, where cooler temperatures let the buds mature into spring blooms. How that plays out depends on where you live.
- Upper Midwest: Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan sit well inside the zone range, and winter cold is what sets the flower buds.
- New England and the Northeast: Vermont, Maine and upstate New York offer the cool conditions the buds need. Expect the early bloom to arrive a little ahead of the neighbors’ common lilacs.
- Ohio Valley and the Mid-Atlantic: Kentucky, Virginia and southern Ohio sit near the warm edge. The plant still performs here, though the shrub has less margin than farther north.
- Gulf Coast and the Deep South: Areas beyond the warm edge of Zones 3 through 7 fall outside the range, and mild winters can leave the buds short of the cold they need. A few low-chill cultivars such as ‘Lavender Lady’, ‘California Rose’, ‘Excel’ and ‘Esther Staley’ do well in warmer zones.
The state selector just below this section leads to the page for your state, where the local planting and care months are laid out.
How to Care for the Sweetheart Lilac Through the Year
Bloom
Early flowering lilacs open ahead of common lilacs, so the flowers can meet a late cold snap that later varieties miss.
This also gives you a head start on shaping the shrub.
Pruning
Remove the oldest, thickest stems at the base to keep the shrub open and renewed.
Summer
Summer is the season when the shrub builds its flower buds, so a quiet summer is a good one.
Fall
Fall is the time to rake fallen leaves from under the shrub and tidy the base.
Leave the branches alone. The buds for next spring are already set at the tips.
Winter
Winter cold is part of the plan here, because the buds need cool temperatures to mature into spring blooms.
Keep snow shoveled from walkways away from the shrub’s base.
Sweetheart Lilac Diseases and Weak Points
Powdery mildew is the trouble that plagues many lilacs, leaving a white film on summer leaves. Early flowering lilac is highly resistant to powdery mildew.
Warmth is the other side of the story. Cool winters matter more than any spray or tool in your shed.
| Threat | How Sweetheart handles it |
|---|---|
| Powdery mildew | Highly resistant, unlike many lilac varieties |
| Warm winters | Needs cooler temperatures for buds to mature, with only a few low-chill cultivars suited to warmer zones |
Good spacing and sun still help any lilac dry quickly after rain, so give the shrub room to breathe. If something else shows up on the leaves, a local garden center or county extension office can tell you what it is.
Is the Sweetheart Lilac Right for Your Yard?
It suits a gardener with a sunny spot, a cold winter and a taste for early color.
- Choose it if you live in Zones 3 through 7 and want lilac flowers before the neighbors’ shrubs open, usually in spring.
- Look elsewhere if your winters are mild, because the buds need that cold to mature.
- Open your state page before buying to see the planting and pruning months for your area.
Common Questions
Is a Lilac Related to the Olive Tree?
Yes. Lilac is a member of the olive family, Oleaceae, which is a long way from its look in the garden.
Are Sweetheart Lilac Flowers Single or Double?
Early flowering lilacs come in a large quantity of colors, and the flowers can be single or double. Check the plant tag on the shrub you buy for the form it carries.
Where Did Early Flowering Lilacs Come From?
They were first grown by Lemoine in France in 1876, from a cross of early lilac and common lilac.