If your lilac bush is shake off brown leave of absence too soon , do n’t despair . This could be a augury of lilac blight , a common bacterial disease that spreads through malarky and pelting . Watch for buds may blacken and brown floater on the leaves that can later grow into sizable blight area that extend to the shank and produce pestilence sore . Girdling stems get nascent shoot to die back and shrivel .. The skilful tidings ? spot these sign betimes is fundamental to recovery . Read on to learn the common cause of untimely leaf drop and how to revive your lilac . With the right caution , you may serve your lilacs ricochet back , restoring their signature beauty and fragrance to your garden . quick to salve your lilacs ? Let ’s get started !
Common Causes of Lilac Leaf Browning
Here are some of the most probable reasons for lilac leaves flex dark-brown and falling off before fall
Improper Pruning
Lilacs only bloom on old Ellen Price Wood , meaning branches that grew the previous time of year . Pruning at the wrong clock time remove potential inflorescence stalk . The most vulgar fault is prune in summertime or pin after blooming end . Late pruning triggers young growth that does n’t have meter to senesce and flower the next saltation .
Insufficient Water
Lilacs want about an column inch of water per week from leap increment through summer . Extended dry periods make leave to brown , curl , and drop . This often happen repeatedly over the season , with leaves reviving after rainwater then decline again during drought .
Bacterial Blight
This disease causes brownish spots and wound on leafage , often with curling . It spreads in wet stipulation and is more common in humid climates . Repeated defoliation can weaken works over sentence .
Pest Damage
Lilac leave chewed by pests like Nipponese beetles , exfoliation insects , or caterpillars often turn brown . take care intimately to see if there are insects present or visible feeding damage .
Root Damage
girdle roots , compact territory , or barque damage from lawn mowers and string trimmers stresses lilac roots . Without healthy roots , plant ca n’t take up water and nutrient , leading to leaf browning .
Nutrient Deficiency
Lilacs involve balanced levels of nitrogen , P , and potassium for healthy growth . Low nutrients causes classifiable patterns of yellowing , browning , or stunting . Have soil tested to identify deficiency .
Powdery Mildew
This fungous disease creates a white powdery substance on leaves . moved farewell turn yellow , then brownish , and finally shrivel up and fall off .
Overfertilization
Excessive fertilizer can damage lilac foliage , make leaf to brown and potentially fall off prematurely .
Sun Scorch:
Prolonged exposure to vivid sunlight , especially in hot climate , can cause lilac leaves to sour brown at the edge or hint .
Ascochyta Blight:
This fungal disease make current year ’s shoot and flower stalks to wilt , corset , and turn brown . In wet weather , dark grey pimple - like fungal anatomical structure may seem on dead tissue . Fungal Infections : Other fungus like Cercospora or Septoria can cause small dark-brown or black pip on leave-taking , often surrounded by chickenhearted halos .
What to Do About Lilac Leaf Drop
Once you find out the crusade of your lilac ’s premature leaf drop , you’re able to take step to get your plant back to full health :
With right forethought tailor-make to the cause of foliage drib , your lilac can find its summer foliation and flower again next leaping . Be patient – it may take a time of year or two to regain full dynamism .
How to Keep Lilac Leaves Healthy
To foreclose recurrent leaf cliff issues , adopt these best practices for care :
With right siting , lachrymation , and pruning , your lilac will be less stressed and well able to resist issue that cause leafage embrown and drop .
When to Worry About Lilac Leaf Drop
It ’s normal for some interior leaves on lilac bushes to turn over brown late in summer as the works train for quiescence . This is nothing to worry about .
However , significant leaf Elizabeth Barrett Browning and defoliation earlier in summertime is almost always a foretoken of underlie problems . If the whole plant is rapidly lose folio , you ’ll want to intervene with disciplinary tending .
Seeking early discussion for leaf cliff gives the best chance of retrieval in time to countersink flower buds for the following spring . So visit lilac close and be inclined to playact at the first sign of strange leaf browning .

Wet spring, mild winter impacting lilac bushes
FAQ
Here are some answers to oft asked interrogation about lilac leafage problem :
Q : How can I revive a lilac bush with brown leave ?
A : Improve care drill like watering , pruning , and pest management . Remove any dead or diseased branches . fertilise lightly in early spring . Wait patiently for recovery .
Q : Should I cut off lilac leaves that are turning chocolate-brown ?
A : Remove only case-by-case leaves that are fully brown and crispy . Do n’t cut off branches with partially brown foliage – they can potentially recover with improved care .
Q : Can lilac plague cause folio drop ?
A : Yes , bacterial blight can conduct to defoliation , specially in coolheaded , tight conditions . Prune out taint branch and avoid overhead lacrimation .
Do n’t give up on your lilacs just because their folio are struggling . A flake of tec work to key causes and heedful care can restore the health and productiveness of your plants . With the right fixes , you’re able to look ahead to an burst of colored blooms next spring .
Q : How do I know if my lilac plant has bacterial blight ?
A : If Pseudomonas syringae has infect your lilac plant , you will notice brown or inglorious spots on your plant ’s foliage . The leaves will also droop away and start to cast off off . You will have to remove these strike leaves and outgrowth — it ’s the only way to keep in line bacterial blight .