Syringa, Dwarf Lilac 'Josee'

I prune mine for shape after blooming, and it stays about 4'. I have tried not pruning and pruning, either way, the re-bloom is very sca...Read Morerce. It handles our hot humid summers well and survived a brutal winter here as well. Nothing can beat the smell of lilacs in the sprig, and this one is small enough that I can include it in my border right next to my front door.

Have four of these, three along our back fence in full sun all day long, and one in a pot next to our garage. All do incredibly well, ev...Read Moreen in the 100+ degree temps we sometimes get in Southern California. The ones along the back fence are only two years old and they're putting out a second flush of blooms despite the brutal August heat! My mom grew up in Montana and has been waxing poetic about the smell of lilacs in the spring since I was a kid. She was completely floored when I found these little beauties AND was able to get them to not only survive in our climate, but thrive! Needless to say, I'll be getting her one or two for her birthday this year!

This is not what I would call a dwarf shrub- mine are at least 6- feet tall in full sun- but I have enjoyed them thus far. They attained...Read More that height in 4 years. I do not fuss over them and water them occasionally. I do not deadhead them and they rebloom on and off through the summer. The rebloom is not as showy as the first spring bloom. They have taken our awful heat this summer with no trouble. Many lilacs cannot handle our climate. I have three planted in a small hedge and they are doing great, planted in yucky clay soil here in zone 7b. They have set seed this year as well.

My Josee is very happy in rich soil in full sun. It has grown larger than the 6' it's supposed to attain (shrubs do that in my back yard...Read More's wonderful soil.), and each spring it is hard to see the leaves for all the gloriously fragrant, lilac-pink blooms. It appeared dead when I first got it, and I called the catalog seller, who promptly sent a replacement, and said "our compliments" when the first plant pulled through. The second one was labeled "Josee", but has a more upright shape and blooms a tad later. But both rebloom at least once for me, and I don't deadhead religiously either. I would happily plant a whole hedge of Josee.