Bark damage to Lilacs

10 years ago

Hello, I'm new to the forum and am from Southern Wisconsin. Now that our snowmelt is receding I have found bark damage to two of my Lilacs. These were planted by the previous homeowner and are about 8 years old. Esther Staley French Lilac (Syringa x 'Esther Staley'). Most of the bark at the bases has been gnawed away by critters - I believe by field mice, since this happened below the snow and I never had rabbits digging in those spots (my rabbit problems are a whole different issue!). I don't know if there is anything I can do to help them recover/survive this girdling. I'm quite upset because one of the things I like most about Spring is getting out in my yard and smelling those great blooms. Seeing these die would be devastating. I would appreciate any advice from folks who have had this happen to them! Thank you

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Comments (10)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
under snow.. its probably voles ...

if a vole can figure out how to kill a lilac.. i would be surprised... i have run over some of mine with a very large truck ... i am more efficient than voles.. much more horsepower ....

if those branches leaf out.. ignore it..

if completely girdled... and those branches die.. cut them out.. as low to the ground as possible.. and move on...

google: rejuvenation pruning of flowering shrubs.. and understand.. that the voles have simply motivated you to start the process ..

i will yell... ITS NOT A BIG DEAL .. THEY WILL NOT DIE ..

but they might look weird for this year.. but they will easily fill in any gaps ...

good luck

ken
Barkinmarmot
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks for the reply. If they do die and I cut those branches away at ground level, are you suggesting that this might stimulate new shoots to emerge? On one of the two shrubs, every branch is girdled, so we'll see. I ask because it will help me to know if I should be patient and will see new growth, or better to dig it up and plant new.
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brandon7 TN_zone7
10 years ago
I'd agree with everything Ken said. And, the new sprouts should grow whether or not you cut down the old shoots. But, as Ken suggested, you should still do this if the branches are completely (or even mostly) truly (deeper than cambium layer) girdled. Actually, I might just go ahead and take everything down to just above ground level and let the shrub resprout.
ilovemytrees
10 years ago
Voles (and bunnies) are the bane of my existence. I fence all of my shrubs and trees with hardware cloth to protect them from them. It's worth it from an investment point of view. Ymmv

You have 3 choices: get a cat, fence the shrubs in, or deal with the damage....
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
dont fence the shrubs ... crikey ...

they are shrubs ... they need some level of rejuvenation just about every year.. once they get to 5 years old ...

and if some vermin wants to help.. so be it ...

but none of them will die for it .. period ...

as far as i am concerned.. that is because rejuvenation.. is part of the definition of shrub ...

no shrub is static ... and i think that is where you struggle emotionally ... its just not a big deal to cut on a shrub.. just do it the right way .. no haircuts ... [see.. the voles even do it the right way.. lol]

you take a real big step to declaring yourself a gardener ... when you step past emotional responses ... and i am trying to help with that step ... worry.. concern.. fear ... pshaw .. ma nature is a bi-otch ... so you roll with it ... lol ... anger is OK ... but not the former ...

ken

ps: you work out the anger.. by buying a real big saw.. and spend some energy cutting on things.. then burning them in a giant pyre .. if allowed ... lol .. gotta have a sense of humor about it ....
brandon7 TN_zone7
10 years ago
Ken, what was your address again? I have a little vole here with a "Michigan or bust" sign, and I'll send him and his friends your way.
Barkinmarmot
Original Author
10 years ago
I am hearing everything that Ken and Brandon7 is saying. It will just take a little bit for it to sink in and the emotional part to level off. I understand the voles are just "doin what they do" but really, 4 years and not a single scratch and then chew chew chew! I would have thought they would have been satisfied with all the lawn damage they did. Piggies!! I have never seen a new shoot emerge on these so I assume that's because they have been happy and healthy to date. I will probably take a "wait and see" approach to study how they respond and go from there - unless there is strong evidence to the contrary that I would be putting the entire plant at risk for disease/rot. I do have a little experience with rejuvenation pruning so I can get through that part. I agree, they are not static but I don't relish the idea of watching new growth get mowed down by the little buggers every winter. Fencing (just for the winter) may be the step I take....
brandon7 TN_zone7
10 years ago
It could be a lot worse. Around here, it's not unusual at all for voles to completely eat everything right beneath the root crown of a plant. You go outside and see a plant that looks bad. You walk over a touch it. It just falls over with no roots whatsoever.
emax6352
6 years ago
hello ~ i'm brandy new to this forum. I have a newly planted lilac. Only 2nd season of bloom this spring. It was doing quite well when today, for the first time....I noticed the bottom all chewed up. I was so upset as it was a Mother's day gift. My yard a well looks rooted by something. Could a skunk cause this? I live in Northern NJ
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 years ago
you should start your own post.. and include pix ...ken