Minnesota Lilacs Are Turning Brown Again—Here’s Why

If your once-beautiful lilac has suddenly gone from lush and green to brown and crispy, you might be wondering what on earth happened. The good news is that your favorite spring-blooming shrub probably isn't doomed, and there's a pretty good chance Minnesota's weather is partly to blame.

Lilacs are one of the more popular bushes and shrubs found in yards and landscapes across the Land of 10,000 Lakes. And while they're commonly found here now, they're not exactly a native Minnesota plant.

The University of Minnesota Extension notes that lilacs are originally native to Eastern Europe and Asia, though this long-lived, spring-blooming shrub has become a favorite here in the Bold North. The lilac is, of course, known for its fragrant white to pink to deep purple flowers that bloom for 10 to 14 days in the spring. (Side note: Who do I need to speak to get those lilac blooms to last longer? They smell amazing-- but those blooms don't last very long!)

Why Are Minnesota Lilacs Turning Brown and Wilted?

The University of Minnesota Extension goes on to say that lilacs make excellent hedges, foundation plants, specimen plants, large borders, and group plantings. Lilacs also provide a habitat for small birds and pollinating insects.

But if your lilacs look a little sad this year, you're not the only one experiencing this phenomenon. We first noticed the leaves on one of the lilacs in both our backyard and on the side of our house started to turn brown and wilt in early September of the past two years.

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And now, one of our lilac plants is doing the same thing again. The lilac plant on the south side of our house is in worse shape than the lilac in our backyard, as the picture below shows.

Wet Weather and Lilac Blight Can Cause Brown Leaves

Curt St John/Townsquare Media

And I'm not alone. This Reddit thread is full of other Minnesotans whose lilacs are doing the same thing. So what's going on again this year? According to the Minnesota Horticultural Society, it's likely a result of our wet spring and summer:

Your lilac shrub is (most likely) not dying this summer. However, after weeks of wet weather, browning & crispy leaves *are* a sign that something needs to be addressed this season. Now is a great time to employ proper soil amendments for overly wet soil and targeted leaf disposal to help your shrubs thrive next spring.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)  notes that your lilacs might also be experiencing lilac blight, something extremely common across the Bold North that occurred last year, and again this year. There are several specific types of blight but none of them should prove to be fatal for your plant, and most will likely recover again next year.

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How to Save Your Lilacs and Prevent Blight Next Year

There are a few things the USDA says you can do to help your lilacs recover and prevent blight from coming back next year:

• Clean up and remove all leaf debris.
• Many lilacs have not had proper pruning for several years and need some rejuvenation pruning.
• Remove dead wood and volunteer trees and bushes.
• Cut off 1/3 of the largest stems (approximately up to a third of the plant) just above ground level to improve air movement and circulation throughout the bush. This will help decrease the spread of the disease.
• Send all plant debris to the city lawn waste pickup. Do not compost them!