Lilac
Lilacs were introduced to Denmark over 200 years ago and have since strayed from gardens and parks out into the wilderness. With their potent, early summer blooms, they've found their place in the sun.
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Where to Find It
Lilacs need plenty of light, so you'll often find them in hedges and copses, or growing between well-spaced bushes and trees. They prefer soil that isn’t too dry.
Salt marshes, deciduous forests, towns, hedges.
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When to Find It
Lilacs bloom for around three weeks from the latter part of May until the first days of June.
Flowers: May, June.
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How to Spot It
With their powerfully aromatic, dark purple, white, or pink flowers, lilacs are a worthy challenger to the small-leaved lime tree in the competition for the representative scent of early summer in Denmark. Lilac is an aggressive flowering bush that grows up to six meters tall and doesn't have many side shoots. Sometimes it looks like a little tree. It has smooth, oval leaves that are a bit leathery and stiff. Individual flowers have four petals and a yellow center; multiple flowers with grow together to form characteristic cones.
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How to Pick It
Clip off the whole flower cone.
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NB!
The Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark recommend limited consumption, due to limited knowledge and studies.
Risk of misidentifying the plant
There is no risk of mistaking the plant for another dangerous or undesirable plant.
