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French lilac or viburnum ? #573900

Asked June 25, 2019, 10:59 AM EDT

I have a beautiful French lilac in my yard ...but I’m told it’s not a lilac . It was sold as a lilac . Can you help identify it ?

Ingham County Michigan

Expert Response

The photos are a bit out of focus could you take a couple of additional photos?  
An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 25, 2019, 1:31 PM EDT
Sure . They came out a bit blurry once I posted them . I will take more and send .
The Question Asker Replied June 25, 2019, 1:57 PM EDT
3 new images
The Question Asker Replied June 25, 2019, 3:53 PM EDT
I believe the first photo is a different plant from the second two photos.  The leaves are different on the flowering plant vs the photos with just the leaves.  The third photo looks like common buckthorn.  There should be a small thorn at the tips of the branches.  I am still working on the plant with the white flower. The first set of photos shows the leaves with smooth sides versus the toothed leaves in the last photo.  Is the buckthorn growing around the white flower plant?
An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 26, 2019, 7:50 AM EDT
All photos are from the exact same plant . Why would I do that ? There are no thorns on this plant . It gets a dark berry on it in the fall also .
The Question Asker Replied June 26, 2019, 7:59 AM EDT
All photos are from the exact same plant . Why would I do that ? There are no thorns on this plant . It gets a dark berry on it in the fall also .
The Question Asker Replied June 26, 2019, 7:59 AM EDT
This looks like a type of privet.  Privet is a flowering plant in the genus Ligustrum.  
An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 26, 2019, 9:25 AM EDT

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