Collected
01 July 2015.
Comment: Two seedlings of this valuable (and fairly rare) true species, which has small, finely dissected foliage and can be crossed with Syringa vulgaris, S. oblata, S. x hyacinthiflora, and S. x chinensis to produce intermediate hybrids (akin to S. x laciniata). The parent plant was received from the nursery Arrowhead Alpines (this plant is now dead), and it frequently rebloomed well in the fall. The species also has a fine branch texture, fragrant flowers, and yellow-orange (to purplish) fall color. It may have the potential to introduce repeat bloom in hybrids with Syringa vulgaris, S. oblata, and S. x hyacinthiflora, which typically do not possess that trait. Further, Syringa protolaciniata is sometimes misapplied in cultivation to the hybrid S. x laciniata; these seedlings represent the true species.