Seeds are spread by birds, animals and water. It spreads and grows vigorously from seed in disturbed areas and will coppice strongly if disturbed.
Toxicity: Poison in berries/flowers & bark is harmful to mammals and does not appear to affect birds. 6-9 berries can be fatal to children. Most adult poisonings have been result of drinking herbal teas made with syringa bark.
Planning:
Syringa is easily killed with herbicide, however if herbicide is not applied it coppices strongly. Manual methods should not be used as they encourage coppicing and suckering.
Workers often think that Syringa is indigenous and do not treat it so it is important that conservation workers are trained in its identification. In the plantation situation the most common form of Syringa is a short multi stemmed tree because of frequent fires (see picture above) and not a tall tree. Because of its deciduous nature, Syringa is best treated in summer when it has foliage.
