Bloomerang vs common lilac
Common lilac flowers once, for about two weeks in mid-spring, with the biggest trusses and the famous scent, on a suckering shrub that can reach twelve feet. 'Bloomerang' is a compact hybrid, about five feet, that flowers in spring, rests, and flowers again from midsummer to frost. Its later flowers are smaller and fewer, and it repeats less where summers are hot, but it brings lilac scent to a small garden.
| Reblooming lilac 'Bloomerang' Syringa 'Bloomerang' |  Common lilacSyringa vulgaris | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 5 ft tall, 5 ft wide | 11½ ft tall, 10 ft wide |
| Plant | 4 ft apart | 8 ft apart |
| Zones | 3 to 7 | 3 to 7 |
| Light | Full sun | Full sun |
| Soil | Well-drained, average fertility | Well-drained, average fertility |
| Flowers | Mid May to early June; purple, pink | Early May to late May; lavender, purple, white, pink |
| Leaves | Fine, deciduous | Medium, deciduous |
| Job in a bed | Anchor | Anchor |
| Pets | No toxicity recorded | No toxicity recorded |
| Deer | No record | Resistant |
| Native | No | No |
| Spread | Low risk | Moderate risk |
Rows where they differ are marked. Flowering times are for zone 5.
Which to choose
- Choose reblooming lilac 'Bloomerang' for a smaller space (5 ft against 11½ ft).
- Choose common lilac for more height (11½ ft against 5 ft) and more wildlife.
Can they grow together?
Yes: they grow in the same conditions. What common lilac brings beside reblooming lilac 'Bloomerang': in flower together for three weeks, from mid May; tall enough (11½ ft) to stand behind it. They share full sun and zones 3 to 7.
Read more: all about reblooming lilac 'Bloomerang', and all about common lilac, each with a bed the planner designed around it.