Syringa vulgaris ‘Charles Joly’
Price range: €35.00 through €45.00
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Description
Quick Facts
- Common Name: Lilac ‘Charles Joly’
- Botanical Name: Syringa vulgaris ‘Charles Joly’
- Plant Type: Deciduous flowering shrub
- Mature Height: 3–4m
- Mature Spread: 2–3m
- Flowering Period: May to June
- Flower Colour: Large, double, rich magenta-purple blooms; highly fragrant
- Foliage: Heart-shaped, mid-green leaves
- Hardiness: RHS H6 (hardy throughout UK & Ireland)
- Soil Requirements: Moist, well-drained, moderately fertile, neutral to slightly alkaline
- Aspect: Full sun (essential for best flowering and fragrance)
- Maintenance: Low to moderate (pruning after flowering)
Description
Syringa vulgaris ‘Charles Joly’ is a classic French lilac and a true showstopper, renowned for its sumptuous, double magenta-purple flowers and powerful, sweet scent. In late spring to early summer, the shrub is smothered in dense, upright panicles of richly coloured blooms—each one packed with petals and brimming with fragrance that drifts on the air and fills the garden with old-fashioned charm.
With its upright, bushy habit and lush, heart-shaped leaves, ‘Charles Joly’ is perfect as a specimen shrub, in mixed borders, or even as a fragrant informal hedge. The flowers are excellent for cutting, lasting well in a vase and bringing their colour and perfume indoors. The plant is robust and reliable, thriving in Irish and UK gardens with minimal fuss.
Best performance comes in full sun and well-drained, moderately fertile soil, but ‘Charles Joly’ is adaptable and cold hardy, coping well with urban and rural conditions alike. It’s a brilliant choice for gardeners who treasure both colour and scent.
Caragh Garden Notebook
Planting:
Space plants 1.5–2.5m apart depending on the effect you want. Plant container-grown specimens in spring (March–May) or early autumn (September–October). Choose a position in full sun for the best flowering and fragrance. Dig a generous hole, loosen the soil well, and incorporate compost or well-rotted manure to support establishment. Plant at the same depth as in the pot, firm in gently, water thoroughly, and mulch.
Space plants 1.5–2.5m apart depending on the effect you want. Plant container-grown specimens in spring (March–May) or early autumn (September–October). Choose a position in full sun for the best flowering and fragrance. Dig a generous hole, loosen the soil well, and incorporate compost or well-rotted manure to support establishment. Plant at the same depth as in the pot, firm in gently, water thoroughly, and mulch.
Soil Preparation:
Prefers neutral to slightly alkaline, moist but well-drained soil. Avoid waterlogged or very acidic soils. Improve heavy clay with compost and grit to aid drainage; improve sandy soils with compost to retain moisture. Mulch annually to conserve moisture and feed the soil.
Prefers neutral to slightly alkaline, moist but well-drained soil. Avoid waterlogged or very acidic soils. Improve heavy clay with compost and grit to aid drainage; improve sandy soils with compost to retain moisture. Mulch annually to conserve moisture and feed the soil.
Seasonal Care:
Low to moderate maintenance. Deadhead spent flower panicles after blooming to encourage strong growth and prevent unwanted seeding. Prune lightly after flowering to maintain shape and remove any dead or congested wood. Avoid hard pruning, as lilacs flower on old wood and heavy cuts can reduce blooming for a year or more.
Low to moderate maintenance. Deadhead spent flower panicles after blooming to encourage strong growth and prevent unwanted seeding. Prune lightly after flowering to maintain shape and remove any dead or congested wood. Avoid hard pruning, as lilacs flower on old wood and heavy cuts can reduce blooming for a year or more.
Pests & Problems:
Generally trouble-free. Watch for powdery mildew in damp summers—good spacing and airflow help prevent issues. Lilac borer can occasionally affect older wood; prune out affected stems if needed.
Generally trouble-free. Watch for powdery mildew in damp summers—good spacing and airflow help prevent issues. Lilac borer can occasionally affect older wood; prune out affected stems if needed.
Propagation:
Propagate from softwood cuttings in early summer or by layering in autumn. Grafted nursery plants give the most reliable results.
Propagate from softwood cuttings in early summer or by layering in autumn. Grafted nursery plants give the most reliable results.
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