question re: lilacs' ability to survive winter

I bought a lilac starter plant last year and am a little concerned it may not have survived the winter, but don't know how to tell. It hasn't grown much, but the stem does seem to have some flexibility. No new leaves yet, but that doesn't surprise me since it's still only February. We had an unusually cold winter this year and the lilac was buried under snow for a while (which I'm hoping insulated it somewhat).

Is there any way I can tell if it has survived? (apart from just waiting to see what it does, of course) And is there anything I can do to help it get established if it is still alive?

Too early to tell. You will see by the end of April I would guess, maybe a little sooner. If you kept it well watered last year it should be just fine.

I suspected as much. I'm just feeling particularly impatient for Spring! But thanks for your reply.
C

Your winter has been unusually cold, definitely, but nowhere near cold enough to harm a lilac. The fact that the stems are limber is good (however, it would have had to have died last fall or earlier for them to be dried out by now). You could also scrape a tiny area of the bark away with your fingernail - I expect you'll find the cambium underneath is green, which also means it's alive.

I'll scratch the surface and see what I find...
Thanks for the tip.
C

i transplanted some herloom lilac saplings this summer from my grandmothers farm they are extreemly hardy up here in upstate ny they actualy form flower buds in the fall and re animate themselves in the spring and bloom

That would be a good question for someone in the South. It's HEAT that they can't abide.

So true, they grow huge high in in the mountains of Colorado where my son lives but don't flower until June. (9400 ft)

OK - the stem is indeed green beneath the bark, so all is not lost.

One of my favorite plants when growing up in N. MN.

Just wish we could grow them in the South.
Guess the closest flowering tree here is the crape myrtle - but it does not have the beautiful fragrance of a lilac.

Is that type of myrtle native to Texas? I ask because my sister has recently moved to Austin and in her gated community, they're only allowed to use native plants in their gardens.

(She was asking me if I had any ideas. I did send her that recent article from this site about Texan plants and also found quite a bit of material online.)

I would add to the comment about crape myrtle being sort of close to the lilac (in spirit, I mean, not that it's an actual relative) -- I sort of think that way about Texas Mountain Laurel. We've got one in our front yard and when it blooms in spring it's got that lovely lilac (as in the color) hue, and also smells great. I find it a handsome thing the rest of the year too, with dark shiny leaves and an attractive shape.

Surely that is a native, given the name? Sadly, they are apparently rather tricky to transplant, but she may want to give it a try. A lot of nurseries will guarantee their plants for a year, so she can always keep the receipt.
LiseP

Our Miss Kim have just started to make leaves. We are much warmer than you and so yours should be getting going soon. I have found the colder the winter the better the lilacs bloom. I am grateful for those really cold spells for that reason. Post a photo when your shrubs bloom.

LiseP: Thanks - I mentioned Texas Mountain Laurel to my sister, and she said she used to have one in California, so I suppose if she could make one grow, that would bode well for another.

MissingRosei: I will post a photo of my lilacs as soon as there's something to photograph. However, given that it just started to snow again today, it could be a while...

I love lilacs! LOL The color (purple). The scent. The tiny little perfect flowers. The heart like leaves. In the house I grew up in the driveway was lined with 5 huge lilac bushes. The smell was like heaven. One of the things I miss most about Upstate New York - spring! Here in South Carolina the clay (aka 'dirt') is impossible. I purchased a purple lilac 2 years ago and planted it in a huge pot with wheels, so I could move it around. Last year it finally bloomed at the end of the summer! Although a pittiful sight with only 4 delicate little flowers on the tips of 2 branches, the smell from those 4 flowers was just like I remembered. The bush has outgrown the pot and I need to get it into the ground soon. Wish me luck.
Can't wait to see your pictures and include the smell if you can!

My driveway is lined with 14 lilac bushes, white ones and purple ones. The air is filled with their perfume. Then a couple weeks later, my old Miss Kim's bloom, and I get another week of perfumed air. I love spring.

I'm coming to your house!

Laluveslilacs - my family hails from Saugerties/Palenville and I do remember the springtime in the mountains - lovely. I didn't grow up there but we made many trips from 'The City' to see the grandparents/aunts/uncles. My brother lives there now.