Syringa x prestoniae 'Nocturne' - Preston Lilac 'Nocturne'

Discover the captivating splendour of Preston Lilac 'Nocturne' (Syringa x prestoniae 'Nocturne'), a true revelation for your garden! This exceptional lilac stands out with its magnificent trusses of rich pink flowers opening from distinctive wine-red buds, offering a shocking contrast. Extremely hardy and elegant, it will transform your space into a haven of fragrant beauty, promising a unique floral display every late spring.

Characteristics

• Foliage: Forest green deciduous foliage, with pointy leaves that turn buttery yellow in fall, adding seasonal interest. Its relatively coarse texture helps it stand apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage.
• Flowering: Produces magnificent trusses of lightly-scented rich pink flowers rising above the foliage in late spring. These emerge from distinctive crimson (wine-red) flower buds, creating a striking contrast within each flower head.
• Light Requirements: Should only be grown in full sunlight (6+ hours per day) for optimal flowering and healthy growth.
• Habit: A multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 90 cm (3 feet) from the ground, making it suitable for planting under power lines.
• Growth: Grows at a medium rate. It will grow to be about 2.75 meters (9 feet) tall at maturity, with a spread of about 2.1 meters (7 feet). Under ideal conditions, it can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.
• Humidity: Very adaptable to both dry and moist locations. It should do just fine under average home landscape conditions.
• Soil: Very adaptable and not particular as to soil type or pH. Requires well-drained soil.
• Temperature: Extremely hardy. Tolerates winter cold very well.
• Watering: Drought tolerant once established. A medium watering schedule is beneficial, but it is very adaptable to average conditions.
• Resistances: Non-suckering. Has no significant negative characteristics. Highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner-city environments.

Usage

• Types of Use: Recommended for accent planting, mass planting, hedges or screening, and general garden use. It is a superb specimen plant for a focal point.
• Decorative Benefits: Its unique contrast between wine-red buds and pink flowers makes it a particularly attractive lilac. Its abundant and delicately scented late spring bloom is a major asset, and its buttery yellow fall foliage adds seasonal interest. It also attracts butterflies.

Maintenance

• Fertilization: A spring compost application or a balanced fertilizer can promote healthy growth and generous flowering but is not always necessary in good soil conditions.
• Pruning: Should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. Dead or dry branches can be removed at any time.
• Planting:
  • Spacing: Approximately 1.5 to 2 meters (5 to 7 feet) apart to allow for its upright spreading habit to develop.
  • Depth: Plant at the same depth as it was in its container.
  • Period: Spring or early fall are the best times for planting.