Japanese Lilac Tree

[avalontree]

Hi. Last summer spring I pruned a japanes lilac that has never produced a single anything. The tree was volcanoed with mulch, which i took down to the groud level, and i snipped of selective branches to ty to leave more material for which the flower could sprout..figured it might take a year or two to get it so there aren't suckers or massive shoots...and still, nothing. Is upstate new york too cold for Japanese lilacs> I think its zone 4 or 5?
thanks

 

[Kate Butler]

Japanese lilac

How big is it? Is it a Japanese tree lilac? The tree lilacs usually (for me in Zone 3) take about 5 years to get from from seed to bloom.

Good on you to take off the volcane mulching. If the thing is sprouting from the base, it's likely to be a "regular" lilac. My JTL (parent tree) doesn't make suckers - just MANY seedlings.

Do you have pictures??

 

[avalontree]

thank you

I have no pics, but i can get some. The tree is about 10 feet tall with no suckers from the base- straight trunk, though skinny, and I am pretty sure not a "regular" lilac.

I'll try to get a photo.

thanks

 

[Kate Butler]

Japanese tree lilac

Jason, 10' tall is plenty big to bloom - no matter what sort of lilac it is. How much sun does it get? Liliacs will grow well in significant shade, but bloom scantily if they don't have enough sun. It may also need a shot of fertilizer.

In upstate NY, by this time of the year it should have noticeable buds on it, so you probably won't have any blooms this year if you can't see anything but leaves.

Is it in a lawn? Part of a shrub grouping? Is there competition from nearby trees? These could all be factors in the bloom problem.