Lilacs (syringa) may have slightly different germination requirements depending on which one, but in general, most need to have the seeds exposed to a period of moist cold before they will germinate. Moist cold ( about 35-40F) of anywhere from 1 - 3 months, followed by additional 2 - 8 weeks at approx 70F for germination. Seeds are surface sown, some light may be beneficial to germination. Most lilacs we are growing are hybrids and/or grafted - propagating from seed may not produce plants similar to the parent. You could have something lovely, or something not worth the space in your garden :)

If this is a vegetatively propagated clone of the cultivar it should be sexually mature at the time of purchase, it having the sexual maturity of the stock plant. This occurrence is how it is possible to purchase specimens of large-growing magnolias in flower at garden center sizes, that if raised from seed might take 10 to 30 years to reach sexual maturity. If your lilac does not flower within a few years you should begin to wonder. Does it look like a grafted specimen, trained into a tree shape, and with the right bark, buds and leaves for this species? Or is it possible you have been sold a seedling of the cultivar, with the cultivar name wrongly applied? Or even a different species of tree?

Hi, Just wondering what colour the lilac is and what kind of seeds are you wanting for a trade. Heidi

I don't know that you're doing anything wrong. After you gather the seed and before you sow it, float the seed in a bowl of water for 24 hours. Discard the ones that float to the top, because they aren't any good. Sow the good seeds in flats or small pots in a good soil-less mix. Keep the mix evenly moist but not sopping wet and not dry. If you keep the plants indoors in room temperatures of 70-75, the seeds will sprout in about 2 weeks. It could take a long as 4 weeks. Seed of vitex agnus-castus doesn't have a dormancy period, and doesn't have any special stratification needs, so you shouldn't have any trouble getting them to sprout. When I grew them from seed, they sprouted pretty quickly. I love chaste tree and have one right outside my kitchen window. Dawn