You don't have to worry about the continued existence of a lilac: the shrub usually sprout from the roots very diligently and forms new root suckers again and again. In some cases, these can overgrow entire beds, which is why proper removal is so important.

Lilac roots are anything but easy to remove

What are root suckers?

Lilacs do form flowers and thus seeds (at least if you let them), but they mainly reproduce via so-called root suckers. These are shoots that often sprout from the roots several meters away from the mother bush. They soon develop their own roots and thus become independent of the mother plant. Sometimes, for example when an old lilac has been felled or severely pruned and its rootstock left in the ground, several hundred saplings will sprout from the ground.

What is the best way to remove root suckers?

If you want to permanently remove root suckers, you should neither chop them off, cut them off, or simply run over them with the lawn mower. The result would be that the shoots would sprout again from their sleeping eyes lying under the ground - and often multiply due to the stress they have suffered. Instead, it is better to do the following:

  • Dig a hole around the lilac runner.
  • Look for its base, i.e. H. the place from which he was expelled.
  • Remove it right here.
  • So he can no longer drive out of possibly existing sleeping eyes.
  • Close the hole again.

Especially after digging up or removing an (old) lilac, you should definitely get all the roots out of the ground. Otherwise, a lilac forest will soon grow around the former location, as the roots are increasingly trying to sprout.

In this way you can prevent the formation of root suckers

So far no lilacs have been bred that do not form runners, but you can reduce this behavior with a few measures:

  • Buy preferentially grafted noble lilac on rootstocks that do not form runners.
  • Be sure to keep the recommended minimum distance.
  • Install a root barrier when planting.
  • Avoid severe pruning of older lilacs.
  • Even after a radical cut, root shoots often sprout.
  • Avoid damaging the roots, for example by hoeing.

tips

If possible, you can prevent root suckers by covering the affected area with a weed sheet. You can in turn cover them with potting soil and sow them with annual summer flowers, for example.

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Trees