Unpack bare roots or rhizomes on arrival and plant them within a week. Until then, keep them somewhere cool and ensure the roots remain slightly moist, never wet.
Out of season
New
Syringa
'Superba'
very little leaf lilac
Syringa 'Superba' is a quietly elegant lilac, prized for its refined habit and wonderfully generous flowering. Unlike its more blousy cousins, this is a bushy, spreading, medium-sized deciduous shrub with notably small, dark green, broadly ovate leaves that lend it a neat, almost tailored appearance. In late spring, Syringa 'Superba' comes into its own, producing loose panicles of single, long-tubed, rosy-pink flowers, each one deliciously fragrant. The scent is classic lilac but softer and more nuanced, drifting gently rather than overwhelming. Its naturally graceful shape makes Syringa 'Superba' ideal for mixed borders, informal hedging, or as a specimen where its detail can be appreciated up close. Awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit, it is as reliable as it is beautiful, thriving best in sun and well-drained soil.
What truly sets Syringa 'Superba' apart is its sense of proportion. The smaller foliage of this very little leaf lilac provides a fine-textured backdrop that allows the flowers to shine, while keeping the overall shrub looking fresh and composed throughout the season. This makes Syringa 'Superba' especially valuable in gardens where space is precious or where a more restrained look is desired. It blends effortlessly with perennials and spring bulbs, and its spreading habit softens paths and boundaries with ease. Once established, Syringa 'Superba' is robust, long-lived, and pleasingly undemanding, rewarding the gardener year after year with dependable flowering and subtle charm. A lilac for those who appreciate detail, balance, and a plant that grows more characterful with time.
Quantity
Plant profile
Plant calendar
Remove the packaging straight away, check the compost and water thoroughly if dry. Check the plant’s hardiness before placing it outdoors. Plant into a border or permanent container within a month, choosing the position recommended for the variety. Keep the top of the root ball level with the surrounding soil, firm gently and water well.
Soak the roots in water for three to six hours immediately before planting. Keep any crown, buds or emerging shoots above the water where possible.
Pot most bare roots into 15–20cm pots filled with peat-free multipurpose compost. Large or depth-sensitive roots, including peonies, are often best planted directly into borders.
Arrange the roots naturally without bending them. Cover the roots completely, positioning the crown and buds at the depth recommended for that particular perennial.
Keep pots in a sheltered outdoor position and water whenever the compost begins to dry. Grow on until roots hold the compost together when lifted from the pot.
Plant into a suitable border or permanent container once well rooted. Add a label and water regularly throughout the first growing season while the perennial establishes.
- Botanical name
- Syringa pubescens subsp. microphylla 'Superba'
- Flower colour
- Pink
- Established height
- 1-2m
- Established spread
- 1-2m
- Growing skill
- Easy to grow
- Habit
-
Clump-forming
Upright - Hardiness
- Fully hardy
- Leaf colour
- Green
- Mouse resistant
- Yes
- Plant size
- 1
- Plant spacing
- 4 plants per m2
- Pollinator friendly
- Yes
- Position
-
Sheltered
Exposed - Rabbit resistant
- Yes
- RHS Award (AGM)
- Yes
- Scented
- Yes
- Soil acidity
- Any
- Soil moisture
- Free draining
- Soil type
-
Clay
Loam
Multipurpose compost - Suitable for
-
Pots
Large containers
Borders
Gravel gardens
Wildlife gardens
Cottage gardens
Low maintenance gardens - Sunlight
-
Full sun
Partial shade
Dappled shade - Toxicity
- No report
- Years to establish
- 1-2 years
Perfect for pots
Fragrant
Thrives in full sun
RHS Recommended
Perennial
Fully hardy
Packed peat-free
Drought tolerant
Low maintenance
Attracts wildlife
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Every bulb and plant is sourced, selected and prepared with an expert eye for their quality and garden performance.
