The Lilac Moment: Foraging Syringa vulgaris in Early May

There is a hedge at the top of the lane where I walk most mornings that has been building to something for about two weeks. First the leaves came — that particular fresh lime green of new lilac growth. Then the flower clusters began to form: dense, pointed panicles sitting upright like small purple candles waiting to be lit. And then, sometime in the last three days, they opened.

I stopped in front of them this morning and just stood there for a moment. The whippet disappeared into the verge. The lilac (Syringa vulgaris) was in full flower, all heavy purple clusters and that scent — sweet, complex, slightly medicinal underneath the sweetness — and I thought: this is the smell of early May. This is the smell of the year arriving.

Lilac is not a traditional British hedgerow plant. It arrived from the mountains of the Balkans, probably in the 16th century, grown first in great estates and gradually escaping into garden walls and country lanes over centuries. It’s fully naturalised now in the British landscape in the way of many plants we don’t call native but feel native — elder, sweet chestnut, alexanders. And every May, right now, the flowers appear for their brief two or three weeks.

Identification and Availability

Syringa vulgaris, common lilac, is hard to mistake once you know it. A large deciduous shrub or small tree (typically 3–7 metres), it produces heart-shaped, smooth leaves and the familiar large cone-shaped flower clusters (panicles) in late April and May. The wild or garden-escaped form is most commonly purple, but white, pale pink, and deep purple varieties exist — all equally edible.

In the UK, lilac flowers from late April into mid-May, depending on location. This window is genuinely brief — catch it in the next two to three weeks or wait another year.

No dangerous lookalikes for the flowers. The distinctive heart-shaped leaves, the panicle flower structure, and the unmistakable scent make Syringa vulgaris identifiable to most people. Be certain you have common lilac and not another ornamental shrub. Never consume any wild or garden plant unless you are completely confident in your identification. If in doubt, leave it out.

Important: flowers only. Do not eat the leaves or bark, which contain compounds at concentrations unsuitable for consumption. Strip the individual florets from the woody central stem — the stems are bitter — and use only the blossoms.

What I Do With Lilac Flowers

I pick the panicles on a dry morning — yesterday’s rain means waiting a day, because wet flowers go musty quickly. I strip the individual florets from the woody central stem and collect just the blossoms. They taste exactly as they smell, which is a gift: floral, sweet, slightly spiced, with an astringency underneath that makes them interesting rather than merely pretty.

This week I’ve been making lilac sugar — equal parts florets and caster sugar, briefly blitzed and left to dry for two days on a tray. It goes into shortbread. Into the cream for a panna cotta. It makes the kitchen smell extraordinary. I’ve also done a batch of lilac honey: gently warmed raw honey (not hot — heat destroys the aromatic compounds and enzyme activity) with a large handful of florets infused at room temperature for 48 hours, then strained. On good sourdough with salted butter it is remarkable. The florets are also beautiful scattered raw through a salad — try them with goat’s cheese, rocket, and a light lemon dressing.

What the Science Says

Lilac is not historically a major plant of European herbalism — its origins in the Balkans mean its folk medicine tradition is primarily Eastern European and Chinese. But the research literature has been growing, and what’s emerging is genuinely interesting.

The Bioactive Compounds

A 2021 study (PMC8197011) characterised the chemical profile of S. vulgaris ethanolic extracts, identifying key compounds as secoiridoids, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin — also found in abundance in spring wild greens), and phenolic acids (chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid). A 2023 study (PMC10343234) specifically analysed phenolic compounds and organic acids in dried lilac flowers and water infusions, finding that simple infusion — essentially flower tea — effectively extracts meaningful quantities of these compounds.

The compound most associated with Syringa in the research is syringin — a phenylpropanoid glycoside. A 2025 review (PMC12250599) described syringin as having “anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective, and cardioprotective” properties in experimental models. Concentration is higher in the bark than flowers, but phenylpropanoids are present across the plant.

Antioxidant Activity — Evidence: Good (In Vitro)

A 2025 study (PMC13074274) — among the most recent — specifically evaluated biological activity of lilac flower extracts, finding antioxidant activity at IC50 = 65.25 µg/mL, which the authors described as “noteworthy,” alongside modulation of oxidative stress markers in cell models. The study noted that lilac flower petals are “edible and an aromatic ingredient in preserves, drinks, and desserts” — engaging with the plant as food rather than isolated extract, which I find reassuring.

Anti-Inflammatory Activity — Evidence: Preliminary (In Vitro and Animal)

Research on S. vulgaris secoiridoids found inhibitory effects on inflammatory pathways in a human neutrophil model. A 2015 review of the genus Syringa (PMC4312558) documented “significant antitumor, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, anti-nociceptive” activity across multiple species. The mechanisms appear primarily related to secoiridoid and flavonoid content.

Honest assessment: No human clinical trials on lilac flowers exist. We cannot extrapolate from test-tube activity to clinical benefit. What we can say is that lilac flowers contain compounds with well-documented anti-inflammatory mechanisms, at concentrations that make the flowers interesting from a seasonal food perspective — with appropriately modest expectations. Enjoy them as the beautiful, complex edible flowers they are.

Lilac Flower Infusion with Lemon

The simplest and most immediate recipe. Make it today while they’re at peak.

• A large handful of lilac florets, stripped from the woody stems
• 500ml just-boiled water, cooled for 5 minutes (about 90°C)
• Juice of half a lemon
• Optional: a teaspoon of raw honey

1. Strip the individual florets from the panicle stems. Rinse briefly and shake dry.
2. Place in a clean heatproof glass jar or jug.
3. Pour over the cooled water — no hotter than 90°C, which preserves the volatile aromatic compounds.
4. Leave to steep for 15 minutes, covered.
5. Strain into a glass. Add lemon juice and watch the colour shift from pale lavender to soft pink.
6. Sweeten with a little raw honey if you like. Drink warm or allow to cool completely and serve over ice.

The science behind the colour shift: the anthocyanins (the blue-purple pigments) in the flowers are pH-sensitive, turning pinker in acidic conditions. The same mechanism behind red cabbage chemistry demonstrations. The lemon also adds vitamin C, which improves bioavailability of the polyphenols.

Refrigerated, it’s good for a day, perhaps two — make it fresh if you can. For a longer-lasting preparation, the lilac honey keeps for months.

This Week on the Walks

It’s been a week of abundance. The lane above the village has ground elder still going strongly — I’ve been putting it in everything, because it has about three more weeks before it bolts and turns bitter. There are still a few patches of wild garlic, though they’re seeding now and the flavour is more pungent and less refined. The hawthorn blossom is extraordinary — that white froth along every hedgerow, the smell of May itself.

The cleavers are phenomenal this year. I’m cold-infusing handfuls in water overnight — the gentlest possible way to extract their compounds, and it tastes clean and slightly green, like drinking spring itself. And now the lilac. It feels like the year is cresting — that moment when everything is out at once and the hedgerow is almost overwhelmingly full.

By the end of May, some of this will be over. The garlic will have gone to seed. The ground elder will have bolted. The lilac will have dropped its flowers. Which is why this is the Sunday to go out and find it.

If you’d like to learn to identify these spring plants in person — with confidence, in habitat, with the actual plants in front of you — I run spring foraging workshops throughout May. Details at chloearchard.com. And if the broader science of how seasonal eating connects to long-term cellular health interests you, that’s at the heart of The Cellular Reset.

This week: go and find your nearest lilac. Stand in front of it for a moment. Then pick a panicle, strip the florets, and put them in a glass of water with a slice of lemon. You’ll understand immediately.

References

PMC13074274 — Extract from Syringa vulgaris flowers: antioxidant properties and oxidative stress modulation. 2025.
PMC8197011 — Chemical profile and antioxidant/cytotoxic activity of Syringa vulgaris ethanolic extracts. 2021.
PMC10343234 — Phenolic compounds and organic acids in Syringa vulgaris dried flowers and water infusions. 2023.
PMC12250599 — Syringin and phillygenin: anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective properties. 2025.
PMC4312558 — Phytochemical and pharmacological progress on genus Syringa. 2015.
PMC7417794 — Effect of Syringa vulgaris polyphenols on blood stasis. 2020.

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This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Wild and garden plants can be dangerous if misidentified. Never consume any plant unless you are completely confident in your identification. Some plants can interact with medications. Always consult your GP before using plants medicinally, particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medication.

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