How to Grow Lilac From Roots

Lilacs (Syringa vulgaris) are a group of more than 2,000 deciduous flowering shrubs. Some cultivars reach 20 feet in height with an equal spread and are easily controlled through pruning. In fact, pruning is one of the most important aspects of successfully growing lilacs and producing flowers. Lilacs thrive in alkaline soil and full sun. It is easy to propagate lilacs through stem cuttings or even from a piece of their roots. Take the lilac root cutting in the fall.

Small shovel
Pruning shears
Bag
Powdered fungicide
Peat moss
Box
1-gallon planting pot
Shredded bark
Sand

Instructions

- 1
  Dig into the soil 40 inches from the lilac tree until you find the roots. Dig carefully so you don't cut into the roots. When you hit the roots, use your hands to brush the soil away to better see them.
- 2
  Cut a 3- to 4-inch length of a piece of lilac root that is the thickness of a pencil. Cut the part closest to the trunk straight across, and cut the other end on a diagonal.
- 3
  Place the lilac root in a bag that contains fungicide powder, and gently shake the bag to coat the root.
- 4
  Store the root for spring planting if you live in an area with harsh winters. Wrap it in moist peat moss, and place it in a box or other container. Leave it in an unheated area that doesn't freeze. Gardeners that live in mild winter regions can plant the lilac root cutting immediately.
- 5
  Fill a 1-gallon nursery pot with a mixture of equal parts of peat moss, bark and coarse sand. Moisten the planting medium before you plant the root.
- 6
  Place the diagonally cut end into the soil so the straight end of the cutting is barely covered with soil. Another method of planting is to place the cutting horizontally on the planting medium and cover it with 1 inch of soil.
- 7
  Keep the soil slightly moist. Too much water rots the root. Rooting times will vary, depending on your local conditions.

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