The essential oil of fresh wild Syringa pubescens flowers from China was obtained by hydrodistillation and identified by GC–MS. Altogether 49 components, mostly terpenoids and benzene derivatives, were identified. Many compounds are responsible for flowery or flowery-like aroma, such as benzyl alcohol, benzene acetaldehyde, cis-linalool oxide (furan), linalool, phenylethyl alcohol, α-terpineol, myrtenol, cis-geraniol, p-vinylguaiacol, eugenol, trans-nerolidol, etc. The predominant volatile compound in fresh wild Syringa pubescens flowers was furfural, followed by phenylethyl alcohol, carveol, borneol, eugenol, linalool, 2-propenylbenzoate, camphor, 4-terpineol, α-terpineol, benzaldehyde, trans-nerolidol, α-cadinol, thujone and benzyl alcohol. These results suggest that essential oil of fresh wild Syringa pubescens flowers has important flowery or flowery-like aroma properties and may be useful as a natural flavor to replace synthetic flavor.