Persian lilac: when and how to prune

Persian lilac: when to prune it?

JFMAMJJASOND

In June, straight after flowering. It flowers on the previous year’s wood.

What else to prune in those months? June

Persian lilac: how to prune it?

1. Cut the faded trusses back to just above the first leaves or new shoots.
2. Remove dead, weak and crossing stems.
3. Every few years, take out one or two of the oldest stems right at the base so that young stems can come through.
4. An overgrown or bare shrub can be renewed over three years: each year after flowering, remove a third of the oldest stems at the base.

How much to cut, and how often?

• One pruning period a year: June.
• Prune in moderation: never remove more than about a third of the shrub at once.

What does it mean for wildlife?

• Pruning in June can fall in the nesting season (15 March–15 August). Check carefully for nesting birds first: disturbing an active nest is against the law.
• Persian lilac flowers in May, when it attracts bees and butterflies.
• Prunings can go on a dead hedge or brash pile in a corner of the garden: shelter for hedgehogs, wrens and insects.

Common mistakes

• Clipping without first checking for nesting birds.
• Leaving a stub or sawing flush with the trunk: cut just outside the branch collar.

Nearby: related pruning guides

• Lilac
• Chinese lilac (Syringa × chinensis)
• Hungarian lilac
• Littleleaf lilac (Syringa pubescens subsp. microphylla)
• Meyer lilac
• Preston lilac (Syringa × prestoniae)

Plant profile: Persian lilac · Pruning calendar and basic rules