How to prune a lilac?

[Mark56]

July is too late if Mary is saying hers are ahead & blooming now, you should prune straight after flowers have faded so enough growth can be put on for next year. They flower on old wood, so any growth made during the summer.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Mine now blooming now. we are relative the same area. Interesting. Her's must be a different species.

 

[MaryMary]

@Esther Knapicius, did it snow there? More than an inch? It didn't snow here. Well... on two occasions, we got almost one inch. And the ground was so warm, it was gone in an hour. I've never seen a winter with no snow. Maybe that made a difference?

Her's must be a different species.

I'll post a picture for you tomorrow.

 

[Mark56]

We are talking about Syringa lilac, right folks?

 

[Tetters]

This is another thread that indicates how important it can be to know a plant by its Latin name. Common names can be very confusing

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Mine now blooming now. we are relative the same area. Interesting. Her's must be a different species.

looks like I cannot correct this. But mine has NOT bloomed yet, nor are near blooming yet.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

We are talking about Syringa lilac, right folks?

I have three types, none are the Syringa lilac. One is a Lilac tree, that will bloom in June. 6 are a short variety, have not a clue the name, but not the Syringa. and two are something like Miss Kim, that blooms end of May, maybe. have to say, when you have a lot of children you can't keep up with all of them.

 

[MaryMary]

We are talking about Syringa lilac, right folks?

I believe I am! Never knew it by that name, it's always been "a lilac" to me.

Looks like a bloomin' lilac to me.

 

[Mark56]

Yep! That's the one. We're on the same page!

 

[MaryMary]

Now that we've established that, can I prune it back by half? I didn't realize until I stood next to it, how big it has gotten!!

 

[Plantdoctor]

I go back to what l said at the beginning, yes you can,after flowering, but may lose flowers next year.

You cannot kill a lilac.

 

[Tetters]

phwarr !

 

[mimstrel]

My parents have two in front of the house. Every few years, Dad gets on a pruning kick and everything in front of the house - the lilacs and everything else - gets pruned down to about one twig and a leaf. And by the next year, the lilac is back to its old happy self. The neighbor's hedge row (all lilacs) has gotten the same treatment a couple of times, and they're once again back to being about 9 or 10 feet high.

These suckers are really difficult to kill.