Mysterious lilac bush death

[Schroeder]

I planted a common lilac bush 3 years ago from a 5 gallon pot. They are very prolific in my area and had been growing great in full sun with a few inches of mulch. For no apparent reason it started turning brown about mid summer. All but a few side sprouts are now dead.
Our cats sometimes used the mulch as kitty litter - maybe that caused it. What do you think the chances are the bush will reestablish itself from the rootball next spring?

 

[vfem]

It sounds like something contaminated the area?! Over fertilization? Sounds like it burnt?! I'm pretty sure to die back like that, it most likely won't come back. Did you think about seperating the live shoots from the rest of the bush and trying to establish those?

 

[lesa]

Don't give up on it! If their is any life left in the root, it will make an appearance in the spring. I dug one up from my Mom's and it looked awful. I didn't pull it up, and the next year it sprouted new growth. Good luck!

 

[patandchickens]

Lilac is pretty hard to *completely* kill IME unless there is something seriously wrong with the roots like self-girdling from planting a potbound plant in a small hole. So I would say there's a good chance it will come back next year, although it may be slow and it might be more sensible just to dig the thing up and replace it for a fresh start.

If your cats were whizzin' on it a *lot*, I suppose that might concievably have caused its apparent death; other suspects would include accidental misdosing with fertilizer or herbicides, herbicide spray (e.g. roundup) drifting from something somebody sprayed somewhere nearby, or lilac borers (but you'd probably see evidence of that, if you looked). Or possibly root issues of some sort - either the aforementioned potbound-and-meagerly-planted scenario, or planted atop cement or rock ledge or just in a very dry spot and this was an extra dry year or the size of the bush finally got larger than the roots could support.

Without knowing for sure what the problem was, and small lilacs being cheap, honestly if it were me and I cared what it looked like I'd probably just dig it out (which might give you some sort of forensic clues to satisfy your curiosity) and replace with another one next year. Not that you *have* to, but even if the existing comes back, it'll be a While before the regrowth looks any good.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[journey11]

Mine has been hit hard with mildew this year from the weird, wet, cold summer we've had. Even despite being over 20 years old and in completely full sun. It's is looking pretty poor, but it will bounce back next spring. Lilacs are pretty hardy.

If you can post a pic of your lilac, that would help.

 

[Rosalind]

Mine has been hit hard with mildew this year from the weird, wet, cold summer we've had. Even despite being over 20 years old and in completely full sun. It's is looking pretty poor, but it will bounce back next spring. Lilacs are pretty hardy.

If you can post a pic of your lilac, that would help.

+1. We have three big lilac hedges, and they look like poop. One of mine, the least-trimmed and wildest of the bunch, did croak completely, died all the way back. But the others are fine and will come back. It's a mildew, don't worry too much.

 

[curly_kate]

Weird. We have a giant, overgrown, UGLY lilac that was here when we moved in 5 years ago. I only like it in May when it blooms. I kinda wish something would kill it back. What I've noticed is that it sends up zillions of sprouts from the roots, so I'd imagine that it will survive.

 

[lesa]

Curly Kate, you can trim it up and remove quite a bit of it, if you wish. Wait to trim, until just after it flowers (if you do it now, you will cut off next years buds.) Lilacs are one of my favs- we get them really cheap from the DEC here in the spring, so I have planted hundreds of them...I see they have set buds for next spring, for the first time. And the really good news, is that I planted a bunch of them in the chicken yard and they do not bother them!!! Enjoy!