I started lilacs from seed (I know; call me crazy!!!) and it took 8 years for me to get blooms. They have been blooming now for 20 years.

If you got one in a 4-inch pot, I would assume it was quite young and may take awhile longer to bloom for you and I don't think being "potted" should make a difference if taken care of. I am not an expert on lilacs at all, so maybe someone who is, can expound on this.

By the way, starting them from seed did generate some very interesting lilacs- the blooms are gorgeous every year as always!
Take care,
Christy

We wanted a lilac that's not common here; I think it was called Sweetheart. It's a pink Syringa vulgaris with a particularly lovely scent. We got it from a Canadian mail order nursery, and the only size they happened to have that year was very small, a 4" pot, I think. We kept it potted for several years, increasing the pot size as needed. As I recall, it did begin blooming while it was still potted. We eventually planted it in the ground, where it got bigger and better every year.

So I see no reason your lilac wouldn't bloom in its pot. You should expect it to take about 3 years, perhaps a year longer. This is because a lilac that size is still very young. Hang in there; it's worth the wait! In the meantime, maybe you could plant low-growing annuals around the edges of the pot.

Best of luck with it,
Jennifer

I started hungarian lilac from seed about 7 years ago. The reason for doing so eludes me now. Nevertheless, I now have 3 shrubs in 2 gallon pots. They're shaped pretty nice and full but have not bloomed yet. I think I will scout out a location for them to be planted out this Fall.