i would leave it alone until about july.. to see if it sprouts..

i cant believe anyone would graft lilac.. so if it comes back.. it should be true to type ...

if you can find a replacement .. i would probably buy it.. it its that important to have a third.. crikey.. all my lilacs are 10 feet round.. so i cant imagine 3 planted together.. especially that close to that house..

sooo .... i might just move the other tow about 10- feet from that pretty siding.. and forget about the third plant altogether.. and if this one recover.. so be it..

i might also pot it for this season.. see what the roots look like. and then put the pot in full bright shade for the summer.. and then replant it in fall.. its usually pretty easy to tell if roots are viable.. regardless of what the dead sticks above look like...

ken

Ken-

Thank you for all your thoughts! These are some miniature variety…”Prairie Petite“ is what they told me when planted 5 years ago. So that’s five years of growth. I do have big lilacs too elsewhere…”Bloomerang”. I really like your idea to dig it up and put it in a pot…never thought of that so that’s what I’m going to do! Thanks!

Here’s a better picture of 3 other ones I have..all 5 yrs old. They make tiny little purple flowers.