I am in zone 5, have only a 6x15 ft. balcony and am a lilac lover, looking forward to early spring each year when my potted Syringa pubescens patula (korean) "Miss Kim" and and Syringa vuglaris "Adelaide Dunbar" bloom. But of course, they are done after only a few weeks.

I love the scent of lilac and stumbled on a marsh plant Eupatorium purpureum "Joe Pye Weed" that blooms from mid summer to early fall in my zone. It's scent is remarkably close to that of lilac, and if I close my eyes, I can barely tell the difference!

As a marsh plant it grows tall, fairly compact and high to about 6 feet with about 6 inch blooms on top that look like lilac, pale pink in color. Leaves are big and full, so is good for obsctructing ugly views. I use it as a moisture indicator for my balcony. It will droop at at the first sign of dryness, but perk up within minutes as soon as it gets water. I've had it in a 5 gallon planter now for 3 years and have had no problem with it. It dries out in the fall, loses leaves, but the stalks are like brittle bamboo and I cut them down at the soil each year, use them as stakes for other plants the following year.

Interested if anyone else has recognized this remarkable lilac immitator!

Barbara

barbis@qualityit.net