Edible tree - novice Season - present all year. Flowers: late spring to summer Common names Lilac, common lilac, French lilac
Scientific name meaning: Syringa comes from the Greek Syringos meaning pipe or tube and is a reference to the flower shape. Vulgaris is Latin in origin and means common or general
Habitat  A common sight in parks and gardens, lilac is a native of the Balkans and has naturalised in the UK. It can be found in woodland, in hedges, on roadsides and on brownfield sites or waste ground. |
Overall structure  Lilac is a deciduous shrub growing to 7m tall. It produces suckers and is often quite leggy at the base and appears top-heavy with foliage. |
Leaves  The leaves are roughly heart-shaped and have a dark green upper surface with an almost velvet-like sheen to them. They appear in opposing pairs. |
Trunk  As it forms suckers, lilac appears to have numerous thin trunks. The bark is grey-brown and becomes cracked and flaky with age. |
Flowers  The flowers form on panicles (a long stem with small clusters of flowers along its length) tapering at the top. This gives an overall cone shape. The individual flowers have a four petalled corolla tube. They can have a single layer or several layers of petals. Flower colour is white, purple, lilac, pink, or deep pink, and its scent is strong and reminiscent of the confectionery Parma Violets. |
Fruit  The oval shaped fruits form from summer. |
Possible lookalikes  Lilac could be confused with buddleja species due to their similar shaped inflorescence, but they have oval leaves rather than heart-shaped leaves. Privet, which is poisonous and in the same family as lilac, is another lookalike. However, its leaves are oval, and the flowers are much smaller and do not have the Parma Violet-like aroma. |
Use as a food The flowers are used to make jams, jellies, syrups, flavoured vinegars and cordials. They can also be used to infuse cream or milk to make dairy-based puddings.
The flowers can also be used in cake decorating and sprinkled through salads Use in herbal medicine and medicine Lilac has been used to treat internal parasites and mouth sores, and to break fevers
If you are suffering from any ailment or need medical advice, please see your General Practitioner.
Hazards None known at time of writing
Other uses Perfumeries use lilac flower oil, while dyes of various colours have been extracted from different parts of the plant Importance to other species Flowers provide a food source for pollinators
Always stay safe when foraging. You need to be 100% sure of your identification, 100% sure that your foraged item is edible, and 100% sure that you are not allergic to it (it is good practice to always try a small amount of any new food you are consuming). If in doubt, leave it out!
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