For a year, I drove past a mature specimen growing near the nursery in someone’s front yard and I was enthralled by its beauty and extremely fragrant flowering sprays. The owners only knew it was a “lilac”, though it certainly wasn’t a Syringa. Later, I was able to discover its identity and learned it is a very attractive deciduous tree to 20’ tall and wide with a beautiful form and pretty, dark green, pinnate leaves. In Spring it bears masses of huge panicles (at least 24” long) of very sweetly fragrant, lavender, 5-petaled star flowers. The stout trunk has bark similar to an oak and the wood is very hard and beautifully grained (it’s related to Mahogany). This is one beautiful, tough, pest free and drought tolerant tree, perfectly suited to our climate. An excellent street tree, too. Plant carefully in southern States as it has become a bit weedy there.