Garden Highlights

Don't miss our Garden Highlights, updated weekly on Thursday, featuring plants for their outstanding ornamental characteristics. Discover everything from flowers to fruit, buds, bark and more.

Use the Garden Highlights layer on our digital map to find these plants at the Arboretum. You can also search for specific plants using the Plant Finder

Visitors can also call the Bloom Line at 612-625-9791 for an audio listing of what is currently in bloom each week.

Featured: May 16 - May 22

Common Name: Lilac
Scientific Name: Syringa

Even if you can’t spot them, you’ve probably picked up a whiff of the sweet scent affirming that lilacs are in bloom. Lilacs’ signature scent blows throughout the gardens in the mid-May breeze. While lilacs are common in our landscapes in North America today, they are actually native to mountainous areas of southeastern Europe and Asia. The Arboretum has more than 350 specimens from around the world planted throughout the grounds!

The Arboretum’s Lilac Collection, which is across from the main parking lot and Snyder Building, is the oldest collection at the Arboretum. The collection contains several types of lilac species, hybrids and cultivars, including French hybrids, Chinese, Preston hybrids, Peking and Japanese tree lilacs. Visitors will find lilacs in colors ranging from white to pink, magenta, lavender and deep purple. In addition to the Lilac Collection, the Lilac Walk, Bailey Shrub Walk and Small Tree Collection are excellent places to find lilacs on our grounds. Looking for a specific lilac? Use the Plant Finder to discover all the varieties we have available and their locations!

Garden Highlights

Featured: May 16 - May 22

Single Late Tulip

Azalea

Camas

Red Horse-chestnut

Bridalwreath Spiraea

Standard Dwarf Bearded Iris

Alpine Flax

Perennial Cornflower

Foamflower

Black Chokeberry

Tree Peony

Mayapple

The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum serves as a research center and extension of the University of Minnesota's College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS).

Garden Highlights

Featured: May 16 - May 22

Single Late Tulip

Azalea

Camas

Red Horse-chestnut

Bridalwreath Spiraea

Standard Dwarf Bearded Iris

Alpine Flax

Perennial Cornflower

Foamflower

Black Chokeberry

Tree Peony

Mayapple

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