Asessippi Lilac

Asessippi Lilac (Syringa x hyacinthiflora 'Asessippi')

Asessippi Lilac, Syringa x hyacinthiflora 'Asessippi', is a cold hardy hybrid lilac prized for its soft lavender pink flower clusters and strong spring fragrance on a full, multi stemmed shrub. Dense trusses of pastel blooms cover the branch tips in mid spring, standing out against fresh green, heart shaped foliage and drawing in bees, butterflies, and anyone walking nearby. Upright stems mature into a rounded outline that looks substantial without feeling overpowering, making Asessippi a natural choice near patios, paths, and seating areas where its scent and color can be enjoyed up close as a seasonal focal point.

Distinctive Features

Asessippi Lilac typically grows about 8 to 10 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide, forming an upright, multi stemmed shrub with a broad, rounded habit. In spring, robust conical panicles of single flowers open in shades of soft lavender to pink, creating a cloud of color that shows well against the clean green foliage. The classic lilac fragrance is rich and sweet, especially on cool mornings and evenings when the scent hangs in the air. After flowering, the shrub continues to provide structure and screening with its leafy framework, pairing easily with perennials and smaller shrubs in mixed borders. The combination of pastel bloom color, strong fragrance, and sturdy architecture makes Asessippi a dependable backbone plant in sunny, cold climate gardens.

Growing Conditions

• Light: Thrives in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct light daily for the best bud set, strong stems, and heavy flowering.
• Soil: Prefers well drained, moderately fertile soil; tolerates a range of garden soils but performs best in neutral to slightly alkaline conditions that do not stay wet.
• Water: Water regularly during the first few seasons to establish a deep root system; once established, provide occasional deep soakings during extended dry spells rather than frequent shallow watering.
• Hardiness: Well suited to colder regions where lilacs are traditionally grown, as long as soil drainage is good and buds are not exposed to severe temperature swings.
• Size: Forms a substantial shrub about 8 to 10 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide at maturity, depending on climate and pruning.
• Growth Rate: Moderate grower that builds structure over several years, then settles into a steady rhythm of spring bloom and summer foliage.

Ideal Uses

• Spring Feature Plant: Site near patios, decks, entries, or main walkways where the pastel flowers and fragrance can be enjoyed at close range.
• Informal Screens: Plant in a loose row or staggered grouping to form a seasonal privacy screen that flowers in spring and stays leafy through summer.
• Mixed Shrub Borders: Combine with viburnums, spireas, hydrangeas, and evergreens to create a layered shrub border with structure and changing color through the year.
• Cottage and Pollinator Gardens: Pair with peonies, irises, and roses in cottage style plantings where fragrant blooms support bees and butterflies in spring.
• Cut Flower Gardens: Grow near cutting beds for easy access to long, flower laden stems that look elegant in simple indoor arrangements.

Low Maintenance Care

• Watering: After establishment, water during prolonged heat or drought, focusing on thorough, occasional soakings to keep roots hydrated without waterlogging the soil.
• Pruning: Prune just after flowering by removing spent flower clusters and thinning out a few of the oldest stems at ground level to encourage vigorous new shoots and maintain shape.
• Fertilizing: In early spring, apply a light dose of balanced, slow release fertilizer or a layer of compost if soil is lean; avoid heavy nitrogen that can favor leafy growth over flowers.
• Mulching: Maintain a 2 to 3 inch layer of organic mulch around the root zone to conserve moisture and moderate soil temperature, keeping mulch a few inches away from the main stems.
• Seasonal Care: Remove any dead, crossing, or damaged branches in late winter or right after bloom, and monitor for suckers, deciding whether to keep them for a fuller clump or remove them to hold a narrower outline.

Why Choose Asessippi Lilac?

• Soft, Pastel Blooms: Lavender pink flower clusters bring a gentle, romantic look to spring borders and pair easily with many color schemes.
• Classic Fragrance: Rich, sweet lilac perfume turns paths, patios, and open windows into scented spring experiences.
• Cold Climate Friendly: Hybrid vigor and hardiness make it a reliable performer in regions with real winter chill.
• Excellent Cut Flowers: Long, blossom packed stems are perfect for fresh bouquets and simple vases indoors.
• Reliable Focal Point: Upright, rounded habit and strong seasonal presence make Asessippi an easy choice when you need a durable, fragrant focal point in sunny shrub borders and informal screens.

With its pastel lavender pink blooms, classic lilac fragrance, and sturdy upright form, Asessippi Lilac is an excellent choice for adding a traditional spring highlight, fragrant cut flowers, and long lasting structure to sunny borders, privacy plantings, and mixed shrub gardens.