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a-question-about-lilac-trees

Hi everyone, I have a quick question about Lilac trees.

How big would a 16 year old lilac tree be please, height and trunk diameter?

Any help would be greatly appreciated thanks.

Kind regards, David Howlett

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Posts

  • addictaddict Posts: 659

    Hi David image Do you know the variety? Some forms sucker and others have a single trunk so it varies.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,139

    Depends on lots of things David - how it's been pruned etc, as well as the variety.  A mature lilac (10 years +) can be up to 5m tall - the size of the trunk will depend on whether it's on a single stem or multi-stemmed and at what height the trunk branches.  It will also depend on how well it's been nurtured.

     


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Thanks. I don't know the variety but hopefully, here is a picture!

    http://i918.photobucket.com/albums/ad23/ahdaveed/20130825_110836_zps14cc49d2.jpg

    Thanks again, David

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,028

    My lilac, after about 15 years was enormous and blocking the path. It had more than one stem. My OH cut off the main trunk, which was 5" diameter and growing out sideways, about 3 years ago which reduced it considerably in size. It has grown quite a bit since but at least the trunks are growing upwards. It is 11 feet tall and 6 feet wide. This is it in May, it had been nearly twice the width. Also it has been thinned out a bit. However, I have another lilac with double flowers which is much smaller, same age.

    image

     

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,139

    David, that doesn't look like the happiest of lilacs image  Is it in a pot or in the ground? If it's in the ground and you're hoping to use that door in the future one or the other of them needs to move.  image

    Whether it's in a pot or in the ground that lilac needs some tlc.  


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • I believe it is 16 years old and it is in the ground. Apart from needing some tlc, does it look like a 16 year old tree??

    http://i918.photobucket.com/albums/ad23/ahdaveed/IMAG1781_zpsac962fdd.jpg

    Thanks, David

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,139

    Depends what's happened in those 16 years David - if it was smothered by other shrubs growing around it it could've ended up looking just like a weedy and malnourished sapling struggling for the light which is what it looks like to me.  That bent and distorted stem indicates that at some time it's struggled to find the sunlight.


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,028

    No way can that be 16 years old! Did you see my photo of my 18 year old one that has been heavily pruned? If you click on the photo it will enlarge.

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • How old do you think it might be then? 

     

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,617

    Why is it's age important?

     

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