Our lilac bushes are starting to offer fragrant scoops of their delicious-looking dessert.
The common lilacs (Syringa vulgaris) are members of the olive family and native to the Balkan countries. However, they were widely cultivated throughout the world for centuries and have become naturalized in many countries, including the United States where you sometimes find “wild” lilacs in unexpected places.
In Greek mythology, Pan, the god of the forests and fields, saw the beautiful nymph Syringa and immediately gave chase for reasons other than conversation. She is said to have escaped his lusty clutches by turning herself into a lilac bush. That’s why the scientific name for the lilac genus is Syringa. (Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on May 28, 2022.)