Garden flower

Purple lilac

Syringa vulgaris

★ Official state flower of New Hampshire (1919)🌷 Garden flowerIntroduced in the lower 48

New Hampshire's official state flower is a big, sweet-smelling shrub that came to North America from the rocky hills of the southern Balkans. Here's what makes it special.

30states

19of our state lists

3,063U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026. Planted garden flowers are mostly excluded from research grade.

On our lists for: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia

🏅

New Hampshire's official state flower since 1919. Visit the New Hampshire page → ^{N.H. RSA 3:5}

Fun facts

It has been New Hampshire's official state flower since 1919. ^{N.H. RSA ch. 3}
It belongs to the olive family, Oleaceae. ^iNaturalist
In the wild it's native to the southern Balkan Peninsula, where it grows on rocky hills. ^Wikipedia
USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced (not native) in the lower 48 states and Canada. Wild-growing lilacs usually turn up near old or current homesteads. ^{USDA PLANTS Wikipedia}
It grows as a large deciduous shrub or a multi-stemmed small tree. ^Wikipedia
Between 1876 and 1927, the French nurseryman Victor Lemoine introduced more than 153 named lilac cultivars, and many are still sold today. ^Wikipedia
Lilacs tend to flower heavily every other year. Snipping off faded flower clusters before seeds form can even things out. ^Wikipedia

✨ Did you know?

The purple stripes in New Hampshire's official state tartan stand for the purple finch and the purple lilac, the state bird and state flower. ^{N.H. RSA ch. 3}

Purple lilac gift ideas

Handmade lilac gifts from independent makers.

🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.

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Lilac art print
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Lilac-scented candle
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Lilac earrings
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Lilac embroidery kit
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Lilac watercolor card
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Lilac mug
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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (1,073 records)

Bloom time in each of our 19 states

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
New York	🌷 Garden	April–May	312
Pennsylvania	🌷 Garden	April–May	210
Virginia	🌷 Garden	April	97
New Jersey	🌷 Garden	April–May	96
Maryland	🌷 Garden	April–May	72
Vermont	🌷 Garden	few records	51
Massachusetts	🌷 Garden	few records	47
North Carolina	🌷 Garden	few records	33
West Virginia	🌷 Garden	few records	27
Maine	🌷 Garden	few records	24
Tennessee	🌷 Garden	few records	21
New Hampshire	🌷 Garden	few records	11
Alabama	🌷 Garden	few records	8
Kentucky	🌷 Garden	few records	8
Delaware	🌷 Garden	few records	5
Rhode Island	🌷 Garden	few records	4
Georgia	🌷 Garden	few records	2
South Carolina	🌷 Garden	few records	2
Connecticut	🌷 Garden	few records	0

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. ^NatureServe
New York: Not listed Not on New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in New York. ^{6 NYCRR § 193.3}
Pennsylvania: Not listed Not on Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Pennsylvania. ^{17 Pa. Code Ch. 45}
Virginia: Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Virginia. ^2VAC5-320-10
New Jersey: Not listed Not on New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in New Jersey. ^{N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1}
Maryland: Not listed Not on Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Maryland. ^{COMAR 08.03.08}
Vermont: Not listed Not on Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Vermont. ^{Vermont E&T list}
Massachusetts: Not listed Not on Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Massachusetts. ^{MESA list}
North Carolina: Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe has no North Carolina rank for it. ^{02 NCAC 48F .0301}
West Virginia: No list West Virginia has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (only federally listed species are protected), so we show NatureServe's West Virginia ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in West Virginia.
Maine: Not listed Not on Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Maine. ^{Maine rare plant list}
Tennessee: Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Tennessee. ^{TN rule 0400-06-02-.04}
New Hampshire: Not listed Not on New Hampshire Official Rare Plants List (Ncr 312, eff. Jan 1, 2020). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in New Hampshire. ^{NH Ncr 312}
Alabama: No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe has no Alabama rank for it.
Kentucky: Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Kentucky. ^{400 KAR 3:040}
Delaware: Not listed Not on Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list). NatureServe has no Delaware rank for it. ^{DE rare plants 2024}
Rhode Island: Not listed Not on Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Rhode Island. ^{RI rare plants 2016}
Georgia: Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe has no Georgia rank for it. ^{Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09}
South Carolina: No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe has no South Carolina rank for it.
Connecticut: Not listed Not on Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Connecticut. ^{CT E/T/SC list}
Rare elsewhere: No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleEdible flowers

NC State Extension says the flowers can be eaten raw or dipped in batter and fried as fritters. ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNot well documented

We couldn't find a lilac (Syringa vulgaris) entry in the ASPCA plant database, so we can't say for sure.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records purple lilac in 30 states plus Washington, D.C.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

New York counties with USDA records: Albany, Clinton, Dutchess, Jefferson, Onondaga, Orange, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Ulster, Warren.

Pennsylvania counties with USDA records: Adams, Allegheny, Bedford, Blair, Bucks, Cambria, Centre, Dauphin, Franklin, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Montgomery, Northampton, Snyder, Somerset, Susquehanna, Warren, Westmoreland, York.

Virginia counties with USDA records: Amherst, Caroline, Chesterfield, Henrico, Lunenburg, Smyth.

More New York flowers

White fringetree

Chionanthus virginicus

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🌼 Blooms: March–May

White snakeroot

Ageratina altissima

Native

🌼 Blooms in NY: August–October

Common milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

Native

🌼 Blooms in NY: June–July

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile SYVU.
iNaturalist, Syringa vulgaris: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Syringa vulgaris (facts restated in our own words).
N.H. RSA 3:5: New Hampshire state flower.
New York: New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3).
New York: New York prohibited and regulated invasive species (6 NYCRR Part 575).
Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023).
Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Noxious Weed List (3 Pa.C.S. § 1519, PA Dept. of Agriculture) (PDA's page spells garlic mustard “Allaria petiolata”; we match it as Alliaria petiolata).
Virginia: Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10).
Virginia: Virginia noxious weeds (2VAC5-317-20, Tier 1, 2 and 3).
New Jersey: New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1).
New Jersey: New Jersey prohibited invasive plant species (Invasive Species Management Act; propagation banned from Jan 1, 2027, sale from Jan 1, 2030).
Maryland: Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08).
Maryland: Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant List (COMAR 15.06.04.06; MDA, updated July 2026).
Vermont: Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022).
Vermont: Vermont Quarantine List, Regulated Introduced Plant Species Rule (eff. June 16, 2026).
Massachusetts: Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90).
Massachusetts: Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List (MDAR) (Text from MDAR's 2023 scientific-name PDF (mass.gov blocks automated downloads); 2024-2026 additions listed on the mass.gov page: Alnus glutinosa, Pyrus calleryana, Miscanthus sinensis, Aralia elata, Rhodotypos scandens, Symplocos paniculata.).
North Carolina: North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301).
North Carolina: North Carolina Noxious Weed List (02 NCAC 48A .1702) (the list names any non-native Lythrum; we apply it to purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), which isn't native).
West Virginia: West Virginia noxious weeds (W. Va. Code R. § 61-14A-5) (the rule abbreviates some names (e.g. “P. cuspidatum”); we expand them to match).
Maine: Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories.
Maine: Maine Do Not Sell invasive plant list (01-001 C.M.R. ch. 273).
Tennessee: Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act).
Tennessee: Tennessee Pest Plant List (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0080-06-24-.02).
New Hampshire: New Hampshire Official Rare Plants List (Ncr 312, eff. Jan 1, 2020).
New Hampshire: NH Prohibited Invasive Species List (Agr 3800, Table 3800.1).
Alabama: Alabama noxious weeds (Ala. Admin. Code r. 80-10-14-.04).
Kentucky: Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026).
Kentucky: Kentucky noxious weeds and invasive plants on state rights-of-way (KRS 176.051; species list from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet).
Delaware: Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list).
Delaware: Delaware Invasive Plant List (3 Del. Admin. Code § 806-3.0).
Rhode Island: Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law).
Georgia: Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed).
South Carolina: South Carolina State Plant Pest List, plants (S.C. Code Regs. 27-135; Clemson Dept. of Plant Industry).
Connecticut: Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list).
Connecticut: Connecticut prohibited invasive plants (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22a-381d).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Syringa vulgaris (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
Photo: Jared Shorma via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.