Syringa pubescens


Syringa pubescens is a species of flowering plant in the lilac genus of the family Oleaceae, native to Korea and China.
Growing to tall and broad, it is a substantial deciduous shrub with green leaves felted white beneath, and panicles of heavily scented, white-throated lilac flowers in early summer.
The Latin specific epithet pubescens means "downy", referring to the texture of the leaves.
Three subspecies are recognized :
  • Syringa pubescens subsp. julianae - syn. S. julianae
  • Syringa pubescens subsp. microphylla - syn. S. microphylla
  • Syringa pubescens subsp. patula - syn. S. patula
The cultivar S. pubescens subsp. microphylla 'Superba' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
According to some authorities Syringa meyeri C.K.Schneid. is a synonym of S. pubescens. The cultivar ‘Palibin’ has also won the AGM. However, the nearly palmate leaf venation of plants labelled S. meyeri is noticeably distinct from the pinnate venation of other forms of S. pubescens.