Lilac Lunacy

Wait, what? Lilac blooms in late September and early October? I had witnessed this phenomenon on this same bush in our front yard a few years ago and in my disbelief researched it. The answer is the weather. Lilacs can occasionally be "tricked" into blooming again in the fall when subjected to unusual or stressful conditions (i.e. dry weather or cool conditions followed by lengthy warm ones). The blooms are shown on the bush on Thursday, September 30, 2021, and as cuttings in a glass the day after. Note the scattered few but vibrant green leaves on the bush near the blooms. iPhone 11 camera.