Syringa vulgaris? (Common lilac).

I don't think you can kill lilac, at least without chemicals or nuclear fusion or something harsh like that. ;-)

If the squirrels just stripped the outer bark and didn't do too much damage to the cambium layer, I think it will just heal as new outer bark is created yearly when inner bark moves outward, and new cambium is created.

Even if there's some cambium layer damage but the entire circumference of the trunk is not decimated, the plant should still push enough water and nutrients to support the top crown, but the tree may send up more shoots from near the bottom of the trunk, which is just a natural survival function.

i dont know why it wouoldn not sprout from the ground... Ls commonly put out suckers...

ken

O Debra, if I could post pics, I would show you one of mine. Never has a plant been so egregiously abused...and yet, if you didn't direct your eyes towards the ground, you would swear you were looking at a lilac in peak health and vigour. I have come to the conclusion that they are more or less unkillable and even with the tiniest bit of cambium available, the lilac will be otally fine.

I once snapped a small peach, leaving a shred of cambium less than half an inch wide. I jammed a broomstick down into the roots to support the snapped trunk...which I wrapped with micropore and...hoped. Amazingly, the wound callused over (although it took almost a year) and the tree survived.

A valid point ken.

I notice where my lilacs produce enough shade, especially those against a building, they don't sucker like the ones that get direct sun, either along the edges or morning/evening sun.

What I was referring to.

If enough damage is done to the trunk, and the energy coming from the roots, has no where to go, the suckering at the bottom will become more profuse than it normally is.

Thanks all! My other lilac, same age has new sprouts all around it. Gets the same amount of sun….go figure.
In reality, I thought these may be your answers, as I think they are at least 50 years old.

debra