Habitat

• a hybrid between S. x persica and S. vulgaris
• hardy to zone 3

Habit and Form

• an deciduous shrub
• broad rounded shape
• 8' to 12' tall with an equal spread
• arching branches
• medium growth rate
• fine texture

Summer Foliage

• opposite arranged leaves
• simple, lanceolate leaves
• leaves up to 3" long
• entire leaf margin with rounded leaf base
• dark green leaf color
• glabrous

Autumn Foliage

• poor fall color

Flowers

• purple flowers
• fragrant
• profuse flowers
• blooms in mid-May
• flowers are borne in large terminal panicles
• panicles are 6" long
• showy

Fruit

• not ornamentally important

Bark

• slender stems
• tannish brown color

Culture

• full sun
• transplants easily
• prefers well-drained, slightly acidic soil
• prune after flowering
• cut off old flower heads

Landscape Use

• specimen
• hedge
• screen
• for fragrance
• small groupings
• for flowering effect
• for high quality foliage and form

Liabilities

• aphids, powdery mildew, scales
• caterpillars

ID Features

• purple, fragrant flowers
• flowers found in terminal panicles
• opposite leaf arrangement
• elongated leaves
• brown small buds, few scales
• lenticels
• slender stems

Propagation

• by cuttings

Cultivars/Varieties

'Alba' - This selection bears pinkish-white blooms.

'Saugeana' - Notable for its red-lilac flowers, this selection is preferable to the species for its floral show.