Common Lilac

Some PEI plants are inextricably linked with people – not only in how the species arrived here, but also in their ongoing social and cultural value. I can think of no better example than the Common Lilac (Syringa vulgaris).

Lilacs are not native to North America but were among the earliest flowers brought by European settlers. Considering the harsh conditions and limited space on ships crossing the North Atlantic in the 17^th century – not to mention the utilitarian worldview of the passengers – it’s amazing that Lilacs were included in the cargo. Unlike some of the edible and medical plants that were part of those early journeys, Lilacs were brought for their beauty and nostalgia.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when Lilacs arrived on PEI, but it would be safe to say they’ve been here for at least 200 years. Even those who don’t know plants well can often recognize a Lilac by both sight and smell. That heavenly, sweet floral aroma is unmistakeable (and, at times, helpful: Lilacs were sometimes planted around outhouses or on top of filled-in latrines to mask odours).

Unfortunately, Lilac flowers have no essential oils, making their scent notoriously hard to preserve. While it’s technically possible using a process called ‘enflourage’, it’s difficult and expensive, which is why commercial products generally use synthetic Lilac scent.

Lilac flowers are not only beautiful and aromatic, but they are also edible. As with most edible flowers, Lilac petals need to be separated from their bitter bases, making initial preparation a bit tedious. If you’re up for it, you can use Lilac flowers fresh as a garnish, make them into floral candies, syrup or jelly, or – my favorite – mix them 1:1 with white sugar and dehydrate to make Lilac Sugar.

Although they’re not native, I don’t consider Lilacs invasive or problematic, unlike Tartarian Honeysuckle we looked at last week. Despite two centuries of being planted around homesteads across PEI, Lilacs haven’t harmed our natural habitats. Indeed, Lilacs were the first thing I planted on my own land, for the same reasons that caused settlers to bring them here in the first place.

Lilacs are not native, but they are among my favourite flowers of PEI Untamed!