Difference Between Lavender and Lilac

Main Difference – Lavender vs Lilac

The main difference between lavender and lilac (colors) is that the lavender is a pale purple with a bluish tinge while the lilac is as a pale purple with a pinkish tinge.

Lavender and lilac are two shades of purple and violet. They are very similar to each other and many people often confuse these two shades. These two terms also refer to the flowers of the same names. In fact, both these shades have been named after the color of the flowers. In this article, we’ll be discussing the difference between Lavender and Lilac under two aspects: flower and color.

Lavender

Flower

Lavender belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae. It can be found in Africa, Europe, and Asia. Flowers are produced in whorls, held on spikes rising above the foliage; in some species of lavender, the spikes are branched. The flowers may be of blue, violet or lilac in the wild species; blackish purple or yellowish shades can be noticed occasionally. Perianth of the flower is tubular and one flower usually have five lobes.

Colour

Lavender is a light purple shade with a bluish hue. There are many variations in this shade such as pale lavender, lavender blue, lavender pink etc. Lavender colour is considered to be a feminine, graceful, and elegant and has long been associated with distinguished, wealthy women. Lavender represents beauty and femininity and is considered to be the ‘grown-up pink.’

Lilac

Flower

Lilac is the flower of a flowering woody plant called Fyringa in the olive family (Oleaceae) which is native to woodland and scrub from southeastern Europe to eastern Asia, and commonly cultivated in temperate areas elsewhere.

The flowers are produced in spring; each flower is 5 to 10 millimetres in diameter with a four-lobed corolla. The usual flower colour is a shade of purple (often a light purple or lilac), but colours like white, pink, pale yellow and even a dark burgundy color are also found. The flowers grow in large panicles, and a strong fragrance can be observed in many varieties. Flowering varies between mid-spring to early summer, depending on the species.

Colour

Lilac is a pale muted violet color with a slightly pinkish hue. There are variations in this shade such as pale Lilac, deep Lilac, French lilac etc. Pale lilac was also considered to be a color worn in the last stages of mourning in England and Europe. Lilac shade is often associated with qualities like immaturity, superficiality, youthfulness, vanity and extroversion.