Common Name:

General Information

Syringa villosa is a deciduous shrub with an oval to irregularly shaped crown and stout, spreading branches; it can grow up to 4 metres tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental, where it can be used to provide shelter from the wind and snow.
This plant may become weedy or invasive in some regions or habitats and may displace desirable vegetation if not properly managed. It does not sucker extensively and its fruit is not desired by birds so the degree of spread is generally not a problem[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - Russian Far east, northern China, Korea

Habitat

Near gullies, riversides, thickets; at elevations from 1,200 - 2,200 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	3.00 m
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Syringa villosa is a very cold tolerant plant and grows in regions where the mean annual precipitation is within the range 350 - 7500mm[].
The plant grows best in a sunny position on loams, silt loams, and silty clay loam soils, not doing well on heavy clays[].
Plants respond well to coppicing, and will generally regrow from the base if cut back by fire[].
Plants produce new shoots from the base of old stems, but they do not produce suckers and so do not spread vegetatively[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A tonic made from the leaves and fruit is used for the treatment of sore throats[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is recommended for windbreak plantings in fields and farmsteads. The dense growth habit is well suited for providing wind and snow protection[].

Other Uses

Extracts from Syringa species are known to be toxic to various insect pests[].

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in a north facing cold frame. Pre-treating the seed with 4 weeks warm then 3 weeks cold stratification improves germination. It is probable that sowing the seed as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame would be a more reliable method[]. Prick the seedlings out into individual pots once they are large enough to handle. Plant them out in the summer if sufficient growth has been made, otherwise grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter and plant out in late spring of the following year.
Cuttings of young shoots, 7cm with a heel, early summer in a frame[].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7cm with a heel, mid summer in a frame[].
Layering in spring before new growth begins. Takes 12 months[].