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| Storage Temperature: 36 - 38 F |
| Ethylene Sensitive: Yes |
| Description: Highly fragrant, thickly massed
clusters of florets, 6 to 10 inches long at the end of woody stems. |
| Colors: White, cream, pinks and purples. |
| Botanical Facts: The name is from the Greek word syrinx
(pipe). A reference to the hollow stems of the lilac. |
| Design Notes: Frequently displayed alone in a vase,
these beautiful blossoms are a wonderful accent in mixed spring arrangements. Lilacs
are short lived in floral foam. |
| Purchasing Hints: Purchase stems with tight
blossoms, just beginning to open. |
| Conditioning: Remove all foliage that will be
below the water line. Allow one or two leaf clusters near the blossom to remain intact.
This will help draw water into the blossom. Break or cut with a sharp knife two to
three inches of the stem end. Hydrate in a solution of warm water and commercial
floral preservative / floral food for two hours before storage or usage. Re-cut the stems
and place in a fresh water solution every two days for the longest life. |
| Additional Notes: Some of the very first
Europeans to explore the Great Lakes area of North America were French fur trappers,
traders and the "voyageurs". These were very tough men, capable of
traversing the roaring rapids and stormy lakes of the far north in birchbark canoes filled
to the gunwales with heavy beaver pelts. Their 17th century exploits, drinking
fests, displays of courage and feats of strength are legendary. Yet, on Macanac
Island in northern Lake Michigan there are beautiful old Lilac bushes whose dates of
planting have been traced back to the late 17th century. They were planted by the
fur trappers, traders and voyageurs of the time, well before any European women had
traveled into the area. I will always remember my
visit to the ancient lilac bushes of Fort Macanac. The deep purple color, the heady
sweet fragrance and the wonder of those French-Canadian voyageurs who left their homes in
France, traveled across the treacherous Atlantic, then hiked and canoed thousands of
miles into the uncharted and hostile far north with only the very barest of
essentials...... including their most precious lilacs. How they must have loved
those flowers. |
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