Over-pruning a Lilac tree

Hi

We have a lovely lilac tree which I asked my husband to prune at the end of last year. However he was a little over adventurous with the clippers and has cut it back to nearly the branches with only 4* - 6" stems (old wood). There doesn't look as though there is any growth on it. Is the tree dead?

Kazza

 

It will regenerate soon Kazza, heavy pruning may encourage suckering though.

 

Ideally it should be pruned straight after flowering by reducing some branches by 1/3 but it will still re shoot if cut back hard. However, you'll probably miss out on flowers for a few years yet.

 

I severely pruned a very old, neglected white Lilac a few years ago. Scillonian is quite correct, my Lilac produced loads of suckers and not much new wanted growth for a good couple of years and no flowers.It is eventually beginning to recover but maybe partly because the shrub is old it hasn't taken kindly to a severe haircut. If I need to prune my other Lilacs I will not be so severe and prune in stages.

 

have never pruned mine. no suckers yet . been there 6 years.

 

Thank you.

 

When should I start to see some growth appear on the lilac tree?

 

Spring/Early Summer it should start producing new side stems, you won't get flowers this year but more than likely next. Have you fed it with some fish, blood & bone/mulched?

 

I haven’t done anything with it this year as I wasn’t sure if it was too over-pruned for any growth to come back.

 

@kazzawazza like @Mark56 stated you'll see new growth

Pruning Lilacs - FineGardening

 

This is what it looked like before

 

@kazzawazza I would leave well alone now and just wait for new growth as you've left it at a nice height and new growth is better for any plant, as you should also see more flowers when it does establish ...you have a garden

 

Definitely and be able to smell those delicious flowers at a lower level

 

If it ever warms up!

Any suckers that do appear are easily taken care of if you are vigilant. Anything up to 30cm away on a small shrub like that, but they can walk more.

 

That was March, this is now