French Lilac (Syringa vulgaris 'Michel Buchner')

While the cultivar name “French Lilac” might suggest a French origin, the *species* from which ‘Michel Buchner’ is derived, *Syringa vulgaris*, is actually native to the **Balkan Peninsula** (southeastern Europe).

Therefore, the *origin* of the plant is the **Balkan Peninsula**, though it was likely *developed* (cultivated and bred) in France, hence the “French” moniker and often the name of the cultivar.