Japanese Tree Lilac
Japanese tree lilac can escape cultivation and dominate natural areas, excluding native trees and shading out native plants in the understory.
Common Name: Japanese tree lilac
Scientific Name: Syringa reticulata
Native Range: Asia
Background
Japanese tree lilac may grow as a large shrub or small tree reaching 30 feet in height. It has opposite, oval-shaped leaves and large bunches of small, fragrant white flowers that bloom in early-Summer. Flowers ripen to green seed pods that turn brown in late summer and persist into the winter months. The bark of young trees is smooth with many horizontal lenticels (slits).
Habitat
Japanese tree lilac tolerates a range of site conditions. A popular ornamental, this species is commonly found in yards or urban areas. It can escape cultivation, invading natural areas such as riparian corridors and floodplains.
NYS Distribution Map
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Identification
Japanese tree lilac has simple, oval-shaped leaves that grow opposite of one another on the stem. The plant produces large clusters of white flowers that are present in early summer.
Impact
Japanese tree lilac can escape cultivation and dominate natural areas, excluding native trees and shading out native plants in the understory.
Prevention and Control
Do not plant Japanese tree lilac. Small plants can be removed manually by hand-pulling or digging, while larger individuals can be treated with a cut stem, basal bark, or hack & squirt application of systemic herbicide.
