Yup, that's a Maple tree you have there. Possibly Acer rubrum (red maple)?

I don't know why the lilacs didn't do well. Could be any number of reasons.

I would completely remove the lilac, roots & all, it's probably not all the rooted being it's not performing well but you'll still need to be careful not to tear up the maple roots too much, getting the main root crown of the lilac out is the main thing, don't worry too much about the smaller roots if it means digging too close to the maple, easier now than after the maple gets larger. Then do the same like you did around the parent maple with the mulch.

Agree on red maple. But if the lilac is dead, why dig up its roots? That would just disturb the maple. I would just cut it flush with the ground

'But if the lilac is dead, why dig up its roots?'

According to the first picture, the lilac (left) is not dead and show leaves at the top. Uprooting a plant as small as this lilac shouldn't do much to the maple at this stage and would keep it from suckering back, I just wouldn't go overboard getting the lilac out.

One word of caution on keeping the maple. Unlike lilac, it is going to shade out your beautiful grass. If it is KBG or similar turf which needs full sun, your grass will slowly weaken and will be an eyesore. Ask me how I know this! The same thing happened to my turf where I planted a maple.

That's to be expected. A suitable groundcover should be planted around the tree as it grows.

Awesome! I'm so excited that nature is finally helping us with the trees...lol

I will take some better pictures tomorrow. I slightly trimmed the dead lilac stubs around the maple, but there is one sliver of the lilac on the far left that's hard to see in the picture, so I will get some close ups of that so that it can be seen a little easier.

My concern with digging out the dead part would be uprooting the tiny maple which I'm fairly certain would probably happen. I COULD probably take the little sliver of lilac that is alive and figure out how to move that and then where to place it in the yard where it wouldn't die.

We have tall fescue grass which surprisingly is green at the moment. I actually want to get as much shade as possible in the back because the one side of the house the grass is like carpet. Super thick and nice from being in the shade. Then come in August it will be nice and burnt :-(

My main concern is if the maple does take off is the surface roots and it disturbing the patio, but in all reality that probably won't be for 15-20 years given it's current size now, and at that point I'll be 50 and probably have more issues than tree roots to worry about...hahah

It's been windy the last couple days so this little whip of a maple is blowing around. Would cutting a bucket's bottom out and placing it over the maple help with wind and or possible animals?

More pictures in the morning.

Thanks,
-Nigel

'My concern with digging out the dead part would be uprooting the tiny maple'

Yes, clipping those larger, dead lilac stumps, level with the ground is all I would do. The sucker will succumb eventually if kept clipped and the maple takes over. I would keep any soil disturbing at least 6-8" away from the maple. Weeding out the grass around it won't hurt.

'It's been windy the last couple days so this little whip of a maple is blowing around. Would cutting a bucket's bottom out and placing it over the maple help with wind and or possible animals?'

Unless the tree shows it's stressed because of too much wind (leaves drooping), I wouldn't be concerned.

I would be concerned about animals. A rabbit could prune that tree level with the ground in no time. A 12" dia. hoop or larger of chicken wire or hardware cloth, at least 24" high is recommended. Winter snow may demand a higher fence.

Awesome thank you! I redid some of the mulch and pulled out the majority of the grass sprouting up, I'll finish it over the weekend.

The maple is extremely close to the dead lilac stubs. I still have to cut them more flush with the ground. Excellent point on the cage! I will be doing this tomorrow or the weekend and getting some chicken wire from lowes. to protect it. Just like this right? Overthinking it but do I have to be worried about the chicken wire leaching anything into the ground that would mess up the maple? IE: Rust or if it's galvanized..etc?

Last picture you can see the maple on the right and the little tiny lilac trying to sprout on the left. Should I just clip the lilac or would that make it grow more in other spots? Truth be told I'd love a lilac there but the maple seems to be doing better plus I'd rather have a tree..lol

Lilac (Or what left/trying to grow)

Maple:

Both:

Thanks,
-Nigel

Welp everything is set for it to grow... now we just wait I guess.. :-)

As I was cleaning up and moving stuff on the rear patio, look what I found.

Obviously this won't grow because the foundation of the house and the patio, however it appears to be another maple tree...Is there a time or best practice on removing this and planting it somewhere else? I'd be ecstatic if I got two maples to grow and it all came from the same tree...haha

How cool is that!..lol

-Nigel

You're probably going to get dozens of these each year as time goes on. Seedlings are exciting, but eventually they get so plentiful they are just more weeds to pull.

"...Is there a time or best practice on removing this and planting it somewhere else?"

Generally, Fall or early spring is the best time, when the tree is dormant. But with a tree that small, you could probably take enough dirt with it, that it won't hardly know it was moved. Just water well for a while.

:-) I know what you mean magpie. Even so, I still get the urge, when I see a tree seedling, to dig it out and plant it somewhere. lol