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Pruning Lilac

Last post 24-05-2009 8:57 PM by Foxnfirefly. 1 replies.

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  • 23/05/2009 11:19 PM
    • russian
    • Hants
    • 25 Nov 2008
    • 27
    Top 200 Contributor
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    How do you prune a dwarf lilac bush that is about 10 foot high.  It needs to stay small!
  • 24/05/2009 08:57 PM
    In reply to
    • Foxnfirefly
    • Virginia,USA
    • 01 Jul 2008
    • 165
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    Hi, Russian,

    10 feet and still growing??  What kind of lilac is it?  Common lilacs can get to be 20 fts (Syringa vulgaris) and if yours is a common one, you would prune it immediately after flowering, cutting it down in size about five feet or shorter if you want.  If yours is a cultivar, however, it might be grafted onto something else that you don't want.  If so, you would cut it down to as small as you want but not to the ground or stump.  For cultivars, remove suckers. 

    Most common lilacs need to be cut down in size so that you can enjoy the  flowers at eye level and not lose them way up in the sky.  To keep a cultiar blooming profusely, remove all spent flowers and prune back in sizin late spring after flowering ewhen needed.