THE LILAC ZONE (Now being updated again!)

One of the most fun things about having a lilac collection and being able to visit so many other collections as well is the surprises that you may find. Occasionally, you might notice a sport (mutation) on an existing lilac resulting in one or more blooms that look different than the typical bloom of the cultivar. You also might discover an open-pollinated seedling that is growing as a result of pollination between two lilacs currently in the collection.  Neither situation necessarily results in a bloom that is always remarkable, but on occasion you can end up discovering something new that is now existing that could be worthy of replicating.!

That being said, a past Registrar of lilacs was known for saying that there are already far too many lilac cultivars that are not very remarkable but have been given an official name nonetheless. For this reason, when one does make one of these discoveries, it is important to take some time to assess the bloom and/or plant to be sure that it truly is worthy of being replicated further.