The NEWS & OBSERVER (Raleigh, NC) recently ran an article on new garden plants for '07. Here's what they had to report abt 'Old Glory' lilac (Syringa 'Old Glory'):

Lilacs are notable for languishing in our heat, but this release by the National Arboretum's breeding program may well have the genetic makeup to stand up to sweltering heat and high humidity. 'Old Glory' is a tall spreading shrub with an open habit, abundant bluish-purple flowers, a sweet fragrance and improved disease tolerance. It makes a handsome specimen plant or background plant in a mixed border. For Southerners who yearn for the delights of lilacs long enjoyed by gardeners in cooler zones, & Northern transplants who pine for lilacs left behind, here's good news indeed.

Care: Full sun, well-drained soil (lilacs do not like wet feet)

Size: 12 ft tall by a slightly wider spread

So there you have it . . . Perhaps, just perhaps, this will be a cultivar that really delivers on the hype. Heaven only knows when it will be readily available (there was no info provided on that).