Coaxing Transplanted Lilac to Bloom
My great-aunt gave me a cutting of her lilac shrub that blooms profusely. I planted it years ago in our yard and it has yet to produce flowers. How can I get mine to bloom?
Your lilac cutting spent its first few years establishing roots and producing stems and leaves. If it’s growing in full sun, it should start blooming in the next spring or two. Lilacs in shady areas, however, have fewer or no blossoms and are more susceptible to disease. If it’s getting enough sunlight, improper pruning may be the problem. Lilacs bloom on the previous season’s growth, so prune only after it flowers (or when it should have flowered). Pruning at any other time eliminates the flower buds. Also avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers that stimulate new shoots and stem growth but hinder flowering.
Related
Upcoming Live Events
& Webinars
April 3, 2024
Garden Trends
Franklin Public Library, Franklin, WI
April 10, 2024
FREE WEBINAR
Container Gardening Throughout the Year
Register now
April 11, 2024
FREE WEBINAR
7 Steps to Managing Water Where it Falls in Your Yard
Register now
April 17, 2024
Landscaping for Birds:
A Gardener’s Perspective
Glendale, WI
April 18, 2024
Be a Waterwise Gardener
Golden Rondelle Theater, Racine, WI
Register now
April 20, 2024
Pruning Hydrangeas and Other Shrubs
Pasquesi Home & Gardens, Lake Bluff, IL
April 27, 2024
Ridges & Rivers Book Festival
Viroqua, WI
April 28, 2024
Flowering Trees and Shrubs
Ebert's Greenhouse Village, Ixonia, WI
May 1, 2024
FREE WEBINAR
Ornamental Fruits and Vegetables
Register now
May 9, 2024
FREE WEBINAR
How to Plant Your Rain Garden
Register now
WATCH ON-DEMAND WEBINARS
Learn More