Lilac (Syringa x hyacinthiflora 'Sweetheart')

While ‘Sweetheart’ is a specific cultivar of the hybrid *Syringa x hyacinthiflora*, the *Syringa* genus (to which lilacs belong) is native to **Asia and Southeastern Europe**.

*Syringa x hyacinthiflora* itself is a hybrid developed for garden use, primarily through crossbreeding of *Syringa vulgaris* (Common Lilac, native to the Balkan Peninsula of Southeastern Europe) and other *Syringa* species.

Therefore, while the cultivar ‘Sweetheart’ was likely developed in a nursery (probably in North America or Europe), its genetic origins trace back to **Southeastern Europe and Asia**. Specifically, the region around the Balkan Peninsula is a key area for understanding its origins, thanks to *Syringa vulgaris*.