Lilac is a very hardy tree and, if you put your mind to it, almost impossible to kill. This also applies to specimens supposedly frozen back by severe frost. As a rule, these drive out very reliably from the root, but should be cut back vigorously beforehand.

Late frosts can damage lilacs, but rarely kill them

How can hardy lilac actually freeze to death?

The various Syringa vulgaris varieties are considered to be extremely hardy and do not require any special winter protection measures - unless they are in a bucket. So how can these plants freeze to death in winter? In fact, the problem is not the frost, but the combination of very sunny days and severe night frosts, which occur especially in spring. The warm, bright days signal the beginning of spring for the plant, so that it starts its juice production. On a frosty night, this behavior becomes his undoing and he freezes back. To prevent this, you should protect the lilac with a fleece or something similar during severe late frosts in spring.

Check shoots and branches for signs of life - Here's how

Before pruning, however, first check which shoots and branches are still alive. For this test you only need your thumbnail or, for thicker branches, a small, sharp knife. Slightly scratch the bark of the shoot or branch and you can see what it looks like underneath: if the inside of the wood is green, it is still alive and can remain on the bush. If, on the other hand, it has also dried up on the inside, the scissors have to be used.

What you can do to save the frozen lilacs

You can save a frozen lilac in this way:

  • Thumbnail test the branches and shoots for life.
  • Cut out any dried, frozen back deadwood.
  • Also sickly or very thin appearing shoots.
  • Shorten all other shoots and branches to encourage the shrub to sprout again.
  • Work a scoop of compost and a generous handful of horn shavings into the root disc.
  • Be patient.

Incidentally, the rescue measures described should not be carried out in the middle of cold winter, but on a frost-free, dry (never cut lilacs on a rainy day!) day in spring.

tips

The roots of a pot lilac must not freeze through, which is why the planter should be protected against frosty temperatures - for example by wrapping a fleece around it.

Category:

Trees