Betsy Ross Lilac

Availability: Out of stock
SKU
9913

Besty Ross worked hard to make our country's flag and the Lilac that has become her namesake will work just as hard for you! Betsy Ross Lilac (Syringa x oblata 'Betsy Ross') is the first Lilac released by the U.S. National Arboretum's breeding program to introduce disease-tolerant Lilacs perfect for warmer climates. The pure white blooms come on strong and thick, filling your garden with that heavenly Lilac scent. 

Betsy Ross blooms early in the spring and kicks off the growing season with a bang. Backed by a round form of heart-shaped leaves that are not just the perfect backdrop for the spring blooms, but also fill out dense enough to shelter birds and provide screening from eyesores or nosy neighbors!

If you've never been able to successfully grow Lilacs where you live because they won’t bloom in the heat and humidity, give Betsy Ross a try! Blooming in lower chill hours than the rest, Betsy thrives in USDA growing zones from chilly 4 through steamy 8. It grows to 10' tall and wide and keeps its shape without a lot of pruning necessary. Deer tend to pass it by but beneficial pollinators and butterflies will flock to it!

Planting and Application:

It loves the sun and becomes a showpiece specimen in your perennial border or foundation planting. These are impressive specimens all on their own and neighbors will marvel at the longevity of their blooms and anchor garden beds, softening home corners of homes and structures while brightening your yard with elegant white blooms! Plant your favorite varieties in an informal grouping. Be sure to site your new Lilac where it will hide the view of your neighbor's kitchen window!

Try Betsy Ross in a large container by the patio, dress up a breakfast nook, or add some fragrance and color to your porch seating areas! Just make sure you plant it where you will enjoy her intoxicating fragrance! You can grow Monge in outdoor containers for many years, that way you can keep the beauty and fragrance anywhere sunny.

Create a wonderful display with a collection of early, mid-season and late-season blooming Lilacs to extend your enjoyment of these fragrant blossoms all spring! Plant Betsy with later blooming Lilacs and flowering shrubs to enjoy an ever-blooming mixed shrub border for property definition, screening and to block the wind. You'll inadvertently create a pollinator garden, wildlife, and bird refuge and have armloads of fragrant cut flowers to enjoy!

  • Beautiful Panicles of Pink Blooms
  • Repeat Bloomer for Three Seasons of Bloom
  • Small Enough for Any Garden
  • Great Cut Flowers & Very Fragrant!
  • Specimens, Low Hedges & Screening, & Containers

#ProPlantTips for Care:

This is really one of the easiest shrubs that you can grow, and one of the most rewarding. All Pink Perfume really needs average, well-drained soil that is moderately moist and in plenty of sun. Hardy in USDA zones 3-7, grow your Lilacs in an area with good air circulation. Be sure to keep high-nitrogen lawn fertilizer away from the roots. Mulch to keep the roots cool and hold in moisture. Apply a moderate amount of water on a regular basis while your plant is young, for container plants and during times of extended drought. Air circulation is important for Lilacs, so find a breezy place for them to perform at their best.

Don't miss a single bloom! Follow these easy Pruning steps for the best flowering:

Lilacs blooms on old and new wood, so no pruning is required for it to perform its best. Right after the flowers are done, it's time to prune. Don't delay, as Lilacs will produce next year's flowers on the new growth from this year. Snip the past flowers, then remove inward-heading branches and the thickest stems out at ground level. The goal is to let the interior of the shrub have plenty of sunlight and air circulation.

Once your Lilac plants have been growing for about 10 years, you'll want to start a regular schedule of renewal pruning, and removal of suckers (when needed). After the blooms are fading, cut a few of the oldest, thickest branches right down to the ground each year. The younger, thinner branches remain and keep your plant vigorous and healthy.

Renewal pruning is great for your Lilac shrub. Removing the oldest growth lets the new branches take their turn. The youngest branches will produce the best bloom for you the following spring. Prune to keep an open interior to reduce the chances of powdery mildew.

  • Full Sun & Partial Shade
  • Easy to Grow & Low Maintenance
  • Adaptable to Many Soil Types
  • Moderate Moisture & Mulched Beds
  • Prune Immediately After Flowering
  • Improved Disease Resistance
  • Cold Hardy & Deer Resistant

Fragrant, heat-tolerant white blooms are available for your landscape! Order your Betsy Ross Lilacs from us today and let her blooms grace your garden for years to come. Hurry and order yours today at NatureHills.com!

Frequently Asked Questions

How big do Betsy Ross Lilacs get?

The Betsy Ross Lilac bush can obtain a mature height of 8-10 feet and a spread about the same.

How fast do Lilacs grow?

Lilacs have a medium growth rate and one might see 1 - 2 feet of new growth per year in optimal growing conditions.

Are Lilacs a tree or a bush?

Lilacs are shrub-form plants that can be pruned into small tree-form specimens if desired. They are typically sold with their lower limbs intact and have multi-stemmed/multi-trunked growth naturally.

Which is the most fragrant Lilac?

Lilac's iconic scent lasts for a week or more after they've opened and some of the most fragrant (arguably) are the Beauty of Moscow, President Grevy, the yellow Primrose and the Sensation Lilac!

What shipping options do you offer?

NatureHills.com works closely with our growers and nursery professionals to ensure we ship when it is most appropriate for your area. Our goal is to deliver the hardiest plants by avoiding extreme high and low temperatures. Check out our shipping schedule for more information and to learn our wills and won'ts when it comes to shipping plants. Find your Betsy Ross Lilac for sale here at NatureHills.com!

Buying Options for Plants

Nature Hills sells a large variety of plants with several options available. Plants are offered in both potted containers and as dormant bare root without soil. Here is a helpful resource to understand your options as you create a beautiful landscape with help from Nature Hills.

Ever wonder what a larger plant will mean for your landscape? Container Sizes are really all about the age of the plant!

Seasonally, Nature Hills offers hand selected, high quality bare root trees, shrubs and perennials. Bare root plants are sold by height from the top of the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may be taller than the height minimums.

  • Popular sizes of select trees are 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, etc.
  • Popular sizes of select bare root plants is 1 foot, 18 inches, etc.

Nature Hills Container Size by Volume

Keep in mind, specific varieties and different growing conditions can affect the rate at which plants grow. Variations in size may occur.

Young Plants to 18 Months
Size Volume
2"x2"x3" Ranges from .18 to .21 dry quarts / .198 to .23 dry liters in volume
4.5" Container Equal to .65 dry quart / .72 dry liter in volume
Sprinter Pot Equal to .63 dry quart / .69 dry liter in volume
4" Container Ranges from .31 to .87 / .35 to .96 dry liter in volume
6" Container Equal to 1.4 dry quarts / 1.59 dry liters in volume
1 Quart Equal to 1 dry quart / 1.1 dry liter in volume
5.5" Container Equal to 1.89 of a dry quart / 2.08 dry liters in volume
4"x4"x5" Ranges from .8 to 1.1 dry quarts / .88 to 1.2 dry liters in volume
4"x4"x6" Ranges from 1.0 to 1.3 dry quarts / 1.1 to 1.41 dry liters in volume
4"x4"x9" Ranges from 1.1 to 2.1 dry quarts / 1.2 to 2.3 dry liters in volume
4"x4"x10" Ranges from 1.7 to 2.3 dry quart / 1.87 to 2.53 dry liters in volume
Plants 18 Months - 2.5 Years Old
Size Volume
2 Quart Equal to 2 dry quarts / 2.2 dry liters in volume
#1 Container Ranges from 2.26 to 3.73 dry quarts / 2.49 to 4.11 dry liters in volume
5"x5"x12" Equal to 3.5 to 4.3 dry quarts / 3.85 to 4.74 dry liters in volume
Plants 2 - 4 Years Old
Size Volume
#2 Container Ranges from 1.19 to 1.76 dry gallons / 5.24 to 7.75 dry liters in volume
#3 Container Ranges from 2.32 to 2.76 dry gallons / 10.22 to 12.16 dry liters in volume
Plants 3 - 5 Years Old
Size Volume
#5 Container Ranges from 2.92 to 4.62 dry gallons / 12.86 to 20.35 dry liters in volume
#6 Container Ranges from 5.25 to 6.01 dry gallons / 23.12 to 26.42 dry liters in volume
#7 Container Ranges from 5.98 to 6.08 dry gallons / 26.34 to 26.78 dry liters in volume

About Plant Sentry™

Plant Sentry is designed to protect both consumers and the nursery trade from invasive plant pests and diseases. Sites that display the Plant Sentry protection badge are protected from consumers buying and nurseries shipping material carrying invasive pests and diseases.

This proprietary eCommerce software prevents the shipment of a restricted plant to each state. The Plant Sentry system includes a shipment certification program. The Plant Sentry Compliance Officer works closely with NatureHills.com and each nursery or fulfillment center to ensure only compliant plants are sold to customers.

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Shipping

To obtain a more accurate shipment time-frame, simply enter your zip code in the “Find Your Growing Zone” box to the right. Our plants are grown all over the country and lead time on items may be different because of this. Once your order is placed, you will also receive the specific shipment time-frame information as part of your order confirmation. Once an item ships, you will receive shipment notification and tracking numbers, so you can follow along while your plant travels to your doorstep. We use FedEx, UPS, or USPS at our discretion.

Due to winter weather we have put a hold on shipping to the areas shown below in grey. You can still order now and we will ship the plant to you during an appropriate time for your zone.

*If you have found your zone already, it will be highlighted in the table below.
Color Zone Times
3 Spring 2019
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Shipping Rates

At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.

From To S&H
0 - 19.99 24.99
20 - 49.99 29.99
50 - 69.99 34.99
70 - 99.99 39.99
100 - 129.99 44.99
130 - 149.99 48.99
150 - 150+ Approx 28%

Click here to see our full rates

PLANT HIGHLIGHTS

Betsy Ross Lilac Is Suited to Grow in Zones 4-8
Growing Zones 4-8
More Information
Brand Nature Hills' Choice
Botanical Name Syringa x oblata 'Betsy Ross'
Type Deciduous
Mature Height 8 - 10 feet
Mature Spread 8 - 10 feet
Sun Exposure Full Sun
Soil Well Drained
Moisture Moderate
Growth Rate Medium
Foliage Color Dark Green
Pollinator Friendly Yes
Pruning Time After Flowering
Fragrant Yes