One year of growth.
Currently.
QUESTION: Two years ago, I purchased a lilac, and I’m fairly certain it was ‘Sensation.’ However, it has barely flowered, and now it doesn’t even look like a lilac. The first photo shows about one year of growth, while the second shows what it looks like now. I’d appreciate your thoughts.
BARB MCL., ST KILDA EAST, VIC
ANSWER: All lilacs are grafted onto rootstock, often privet, which is classified as a noxious weed in some states. Privet is highly prone to suckering and can easily overtake the host plant, which in this case is your cherished lilac.
If you have a close look, you can see green shoots emerging from below the graft union. These suckers will need to be removed by gently ‘bandicooting’ the soil to expose their point of origin. Instead of cutting them with secateurs, dig down to the base of the suckers and use your foot to push them out of their ‘socket.’ This method helps prevent them from reshooting.
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