Pruning a lilac bush

15 years ago

I have a lilac bush that's 8-9 feet tall. It's about 12 years old. Every year, it seems that a branch breaks off. There's only one main branch left. Here's a picture (please ignore the branch at the base of the tree--it broke off recently and I just stuck it into the ground to see if it will regrow; it may not, but it can't hurt to try. :)):

The bush flowered a few weeks ago. Is there any point in trying to "prune" what's left on the main branch? If so, exactly what should I try to cut? Thanks for any info.

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Comments (7)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
15 years ago
do you weed whip around the trunk??

i am surprised you do not have a multitude of suckers coming up ...

ken
Embothrium
15 years ago
Might do better if the grass was pulled back away from it, so that it had an area of mulched soil around it instead of turf coming right up to it. Grass and trees are mortal enemies, grass plants actually use chemical warfare.

Otherwise, lilacs are supposed to be extra prone to honey fungus (Armillaria). Perhaps yours is being pinched off by an infestation of this.

Or there is another pathogen at work.
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neptune25
Original Author
15 years ago
Ken wrote:

do you weed whip around the trunk??

Sorry, but I'm just not into that kinky stuff. ;) Seriously, no, I don't.

bboy wrote:

Might do better if the grass was pulled back away from it, so that it had an area of mulched soil around it instead of turf coming right up to it.

Thanks, I can try that.

Grass and trees are mortal enemies, grass plants actually use chemical warfare. Otherwise, lilacs are supposed to be extra prone to honey fungus (Armillaria). Perhaps yours is being pinched off by an infestation of this.

Or there is another pathogen at work.

I see.

So, apart from grass, there's no need to prune any of the plant itself?
buyorsell888
15 years ago
Correct, the only pruning you need to do is deadhead the spent blooms if you feel like it.

Big suckering ones with a lot of dead growth are a different story....
neptune25
Original Author
15 years ago
OK, thanks, buyorsell888.
rigelcaj
15 years ago
I've been wondering about this myself. Late last fall, I was given 8 7-8' lilacs. All are budding and will bloom, but there has definitely been die back. I'm waiting until I see what they do. I trust I should cut the dead branches off. Should I also prune the live ones, to encourage them to bush out? They were packed very tight together in a hedge, so are narrow. I'm sure they'll sucker and plan to let that happen - since I want my own hedge! I'd appreciate any thoughts on that plan.

As for the stick in the ground, I did that with a branch that broke off in the move - and it's budding too! Good luck!
neptune25
Original Author
15 years ago
As for the stick in the ground, I did that with a branch that broke off in the move - and it's budding too! Good luck!

Cool--thanks, rigelcaj. :)