General John Pershing

Dunbar (not Lemoine), 1917

‘General John Pershing’, S. vulgaris
Dunbar (not Lemoine) 1917; D III
syn. – Dunbar no. 240, ‘General (John) Pershing’, ‘General Pershing’
{‘Aline Mocqueris’ × ?}
Dunbar, Florists Exch., 831 [Sept. 22, 1923] – as ‘General Pershing’; McKelvey, The Lilac, 303 [1928] – as ‘General John Pershing’, new name; Wister, Lilacs for America, 48 [1942], 30 [1953] – as ‘General (John) Pershing’; Photo on Jorgovani/Lilacs 2015 DVD.
Named for John Joseph Pershing, 1860-1948, American soldier, nicknamed “Black Jack”.
Cultivar name presumed registered 1953; name established and accepted.

Международный регистр названий культиваров
рода Syringa L., сентябрь 2024

General John Pershing, new name. – Dunbar according to Horticulture, XXVII. 534 (1918), “Semi-double, large blossoms, porcelain lavender in color,” as General Pershing. Dunbar in Florists Exch., September 22, 1923, 831, ‘with semi-double blossoms tinged a very delicate light azure lilac, flowers freely and is a remarkably beautiful lilac”; Litt. ined. October 3, 1923, “Flowers semi-double, buds deep lilac, bluish lavender with a tinge of very delicate light azure lilac when fully open, of an inch across. Branching habit medium, dense.”
Produced by John Dunbar of the Dept. of Parks, Rochester, N. Y. In a letter the late Mr. Dunbar informed me that this was a seedling (no. 240 Dunbar) of Aline Mocqueris, named by him in 1917. There is a photograph of this form in the collection of the Arnold Arboretum (no. 6893).
As introduced by Mr. Dunbar the name appeared as General Pershing; six years later Mr. Lemoine introduced a form bearing the same name. Mr. Dunbar’s name has priority over Mr. Lemoine’s but since two forms may not bear the same name I have, to distinguish them, changed Mr. Dunbar’s name to General John Pershing. Although Mr. Lemoine’s name should rightfully have been changed rather than Mr. Dunbar’s it has seemed wise to let it stand since his plant is more widely cultivated. To avoid confusion between the two forms it is recommended that the distinction in name be observed.
Notes on plant in Dept. of Parks, Rochester, N. Y. Flowers semi-double, medium size; tone pale; color in bud Deep Hellebore Red to Daphne Red (XXXVIII.); when expanded Tourmaline Pink (XXXVIII.) to white without, Argyle Purple (XXXVII.) marked with white at throat within. Clusters open, much branched. The flowers appear to be paler without than within and the clusters somewhat variegated.

“THE LILAC: A Monograph” Susan Delano McKelvey, MacMillan, New York, 1928