Liliacs: Love Them or Loathe Them

A lovely time of year in Wyoming is when the lilac bushes are in full bloom. The smell is intoxicating and the Valley becomes vibrant in colorful flowers. The common lilac can grow in multiple growing zones, making it a hardy shrub. They need very little care to survive and can withstand temperatures of even -40 degrees fahrenheit in winter months. This makes it a perfect shub for the harsh Wyoming growing seasons.

Though not a native North American plant they are often found near abandoned homesteads and ghost towns. Pioneers commonly planted them along their journeys out west. Many lilac bus...