Cutleaf Lilac

Cutleaf lilac is a fine-textured, deciduous shrub with deeply lobed foliage and fragrant pale-lilac flowers. It forms a low, dense mound about 6–8 feet tall and wide, with flowers appearing along the branches in spring. The unusual foliage gives the shrub a lighter appearance than broad-leaved lilacs. ## Flowers and foliage Syringa × laciniata has single, fragrant pale-purple flowers and finely cut leaves. The flowers are borne along the stems in May, while the foliage is blue-green and deeply divided. Oregon State reports that it tolerates heat and mildew better than many lilacs and is hardy to USDA Zone 4. ## Siting and use Grow it in full sun or part shade with room for its mature spread. Its rounded outline suits a foundation planting, a grouped shrub border, or a specimen position where the leaf texture can be seen. A mature plant is commonly about 6–8 feet tall and wide, with size varying by site and age. ## Sources [Oregon State University Landscape Plants](https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/syringa-laciniata) · [Dawes Arboretum cutleaf lilac record](https://dawesarb.arboretumexplorer.org/taxon.aspx?t=28324) · [Iowa State Extension: Lilac species for Iowa gardens](https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/lilacs-species-iowa-gardens) ## Maintenance If shaping is needed, prune soon after flowering so the plant has time to set next season’s buds. Remove damaged or crossing branches and allow the suckering shrub room to mature.