Planting, Growing, and Pruning Lilacs
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Cooking Notes
Lilac flowers are edible, but flavor varies among cultivars, from no flavor to “green” and lemony flavors. Gather insect- and disease-free blooms early in the day. Avoid any that are unopened or past their peak. Wash the flowers gently in cool water. Pat them dry and refrigerate until ready to use.
Consider making candied lilac flowerets for a special cake decoration: Separate the individual flowers. Using tweezers, dip each one into a beaten egg white, reconstituted egg white powder, or packaged egg whites. Then, dip the flower in finely granulated sugar. Set it aside to dry before placing it on a cake.
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It's hard to say why the bush looks dead. Cut back all the dead branches from the old bush and look and see if there is any growth (sprouts) growing around the tree. You may be able to save some of these sprouts (you can leave them where they are or dig them up and replant them). Read our planting and care advice above for more information.
I bought a lilac bush from a nursery about three or four years ago which has since closed up.
The bush I bought they said would bloom through the summer.
It has bloomed in the more and more over the years in the spring but do not get much blooming later in the summer. Should I cut the flowers before they die off for more blooms
I live in NH.
thank you
I live in the Pacific Northwest. I bought a lilac from a nursery and it was in bloom. The next year it grew and bloomed beautifully. This year only two blooms although it has grown significantly. The lower leaves have a brown curled spot on them and my husband claims there was a bug within the curl. My other lilac within close proximity has the same brown spot on it. No blooms this year, but did buy that as a small start two years ago. Please help. Thank you.
I am in Zone 5b and it is May. My lilacs are blooming. I have friends wanting to transplant some of my suckers in their own gardens. Is it still possible to transplant the suckers even though they have leaves on?
Yes, you can transplant the suckers now.
What is a sucker ive had two lilac bushes that i planted when i moved in and get very few flowers
Suckers often emerge from the base or roots of a tree and a way the plant grows. Often, we get rid of the suckers because the plant's energy is diverted to the sucker rather than to growth of the main plant.
There are several reasons lilacs do not bloom well. For example, they need lots of sun and lilacs in shade won't flower. Another reason is pruning at the wrong time (and removing the buds); lilacs should be pruned in the spring right after the flowers fade.
How do your tell the difference between new growth from the root and suckers I have about 10 new stocks coming from the ground, after taking down a mature lilac that had very limited blooms.
I recently planted a "bare root" that I ordered online. They said it was a "Edward J. Gardner" lilac. I live in Tucson, AZ - am I pushing my luck with trying to include lilacs to my garden? I know it get very hot during the summer, but I was thinking if I shade her during the summer months so might be okay. I also, didn't realize they need a good cold winter to bloom, that part might be hard. Thanks for the insight!
The lilac you bought may not bloom in your USDA zone 9. It is rated for zones 3-7. There are varieties that grow in warm climates. Persian lilac (Syringa persica) is one. Planted in the shade it can survive temperatures over 100 degrees.