How to Prune a Lilac Tree Into a Bush

Lilac trees are popular pastel colored plants that grow in temperate areas. There are many varieties, depending on the species of the particular tree. Lilacs can actually grow to about ten feet tall and do require a little pruning every now and again. Although they naturally grow in the shape of a miniature tree, lilac trees look best when they are pruned into a rounded bush shape.

Instructions

- 1
  Wait until your lilac tree has finished blooming. Trying to prune it before that can damage its blooming process. When the flowers have died off, you can start.
- 2
  Trim back all the dead blooms all the way to the stem. Cut off all the small shoots and most of the suckers that come off the main trunk or near the ground. Trim off any branches that are sticking out from the main bush.
- 3
  Check the interior of the lilac bush. If it is over-crowded, trim back some of the shoots inside so that the sun can penetrate the inside of the bush.
- 4
  Now, trim the foliage so that it takes a rounded shape. Do not trim the lilac bush with a flat top. Go slow, stepping back from the lilac bush every few snips so that you can monitor the shape that it is taking.

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