This shrub is at the northern end of the Syringa Avenue

The species is native to the Bulkan Peninsular, where it grows on rocky hills. Grown for its scented flowers, the large shrub or small tree is widely cultivated and has been naturalized in parts of Europe, Asia, and North America. It is not regarded as an aggressive species. It is found in the wild in widely scattered sites, usually in the vicinity of past or present human habitations. The species was introduced in 1753.

This specimen and like most garden plants of Syringa vulgaris is a cultivar. Between 1876 and 1927, the nurseryman Victor Lemoine of Nancy, France, introduced over 153 named cultivars. These are sometimes called Lemoine Lilacs. Many are considered classics and are still available.

We do not know who Michel Buchner was.