Asked August 28, 2020, 1:11 PM EDT
We have a lilac tree (not sure what variety). I prune it yearly (mostly). In the last several years, the growth seems stunted. It flowers yearly, but there's little new branch or leaf growth. Some of the larger, darker green leaves develop a sort of whitish coating towards the end of the summer (a fungus?), but it doesn't actually appear to be an issue. The bigger problem is that many leaves curl, stop growing, and turn yellow. Around half the tree has small, light green or yellow, curling leaves. Some of those leaves have small brown spots. The issue seems to be getting worse each year.
The lilac should be getting enough water. It's in a little garden plot with a lot of ground cover and small plants that holds moisture well, the area gets watered weekly. There's no downspout there, and the soil isn't overly wet, so the roots shouldn't be in standing water. The plot is on the south-east side of the house. It gets a lot of mid-morning sun, maybe 4-5 hours of direct sun a day during summer.
Any information on what the problem might be, and potential solutions, would be appreciated.
Thank you,
Tony
Hennepin County Minnesota
