road workers cut my 4 yr lilacs to the ground

[JvaGoddess]

Hello - I'm new to the forum (came here looking for help on this question). I'm in Connecticut.

Roadworkers trimming up the sides of the road apparently can't tell a line of lilacs from a bunch of weeds. It's a late spring here and I had not yet cleaned the area up so maybe it looked like junk.

Anyway they used who-knows-what to cut and they devastated the entire plants - every one of them. (a neat line of 5 plants.) They cut to about 3 inches from the ground but not in a clean cut. The stems are shredded and flayed.

The top of the stems are laying on the ground next to the bases (they were going to give me my first blooms this year! Last year I had maybe 3 blooms on all the plants - this was my year!)

So my questions -

Will the broken/cut stems regrow?
(Or should I just start over?)
Do the branches have any chance of rooting if I just stick them in the ground? (They are about 4 to 5 feet branches.)

I plan to file a claim with the city - still working on how to present that and what to ask for.

Any help or opinions welcomed.

Enjoy spring everyone!

~~~~~~~~ Hollie

[JvaGoddess]

Was my question lost in my rambling?

<<Will the broken/cut stems regrow?
(Or should I just start over?)
Do the branches have any chance of rooting if I just stick them in the ground? (They are about 4 to 5 feet branches.) >>

Or does no one have any clue on these questions?

Enjoy spring!

~~~~~ Hollie

[cynthia_h]

I don't know if any of us have come out of shock yet at the carnage and devastation wrought on your beautiful lilacs.

Lilacs are often asked about here at THG, but not too many members seem to feel they have *expertise* on lilacs.

It's OK, Gardeners; if you have any experience with adolescent lilacs suffering major branch loss, whether from frost damage or over-zealous neighbors, please relate that experience here so that JvaGoddess will have some idea of what to expect--will the lilacs, given enough time, recover?

Or should she start with new plants?

Or is there some other approach she can take?

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[rainbowgardener]

I agree with Cynthia re the carnage... totally irresponsible and heartbreaking. I'm not an expert, but lilacs are pretty tough and hard to kill once well established. So obviously the question is the well established part, but I think there's a pretty good chance that they will just put new shoots up from the roots. It will still of course take some seasons to catch up to where they would have been and this is unfortunately no longer your year for blooms. Lilacs bloom on old wood, so any new shoots that come up this year, will not bloom this year. As far as whether the cut off stems might root, I have no idea, but you certainly have nothing to lose from trying a few!

[The Helpful Gardener]

They will indeed regrow, likely vigorously. Back in three/four years to their former glory...

Rooting big branches is a no go although you might get those blooms if you force them (cut them and put them in a vase). Small consolation, but worth a try... our sympathies...

HG

[jal_ut]

Aw, too bad. I am sorry.

It is likely that new shoots will come from the ground. They will re-grow.

No, on starting the cut limbs.