Identifying a tree

[NotaDisneyMum]

DP and I have recently 'adopted' a garden and have been working hard today to clear it.

It has two beautiful Victoria plum trees which are blossoming, but also has a tree of similar size (15-20') and the same sort of dark bark, but it is not blossoming, it is starting to leaf.
The leaves are dark green with reddish undersides and are 'spade' shaped - like the spade suit in a pack of cards.

I've waded through my gardening books and looked at some websites that have step by step guides for identifying trees by their leaves with no luck.

The garden is located in an area that was once an orchard - and all the surrounding gardens have plums, quince etc, so I think it's a fruit tree - but not sure. How can I find out!?

[NotaDisneyMum]

I've taken some photos in the hope it might look familiar to someone, thanks!:

Here

and here

[BabyTeeth]

Well, I am just asking someone who knows about this sort of thing.

If you know someone who is a member of the RHS, I think they can send off a leaf for diagnosis.

In one of your pictures one leaf looks to have three 'prongs'. If that's a mature leaf then that could be a big clue. Does it have 3 prongs or is that just the angle?

[NotaDisneyMum]

Just the angle - they are definitely 'spade' shaped - and these are new leaves, probably a few weeks - no leaves from last year, unfortunately!

[timetosmile]

looks like a lilac to me but then I am just basing it on what looks most similar in my garden
Has it got any buds yet? could you upload a picture of them?

[NotaDisneyMum]

How big do lilac get! There were a clusters of buds - sort of like tiny bunches of grapes and they were dark red/purple

[NotaDisneyMum]

Ok - been googling- it definitely looks like a lilac and a very old one at that!
Will keep an eye or nose out for the flowers

[Mibby]

Pretty sure thats a Lilac. Very pretty. One to keep if you can

[timetosmile]

Looks like a lilac then! (preens and contemplates phoning RH-type ML to boast)

They are beautiful and can certainly grow to 20' if not regularly pruned.

The scent is out of this world. I always have cut branches of mine in the house once it starts flowering.

I have a feeling that if you cut them back hard they take umbrage and die, rather prune off all this year's flowers when they have died back but I am prepared to be corrected on that!

Lucky old you!

[Mibby]

I think you can cut old ones back in stages, so a bit one year and another bit the next. Id check carefully with the RHS or similar tho

[mrspink27]

timetosmile - I had always understood it to be unlucky to have lilac indoors so I never have for that reason.

Notadisneymum - depending on the size - have a 3-5year pruning plan. This year cut out 1/3 to a 1/5 of the oldest stems. next year do the next 1/3 etc. It will regenerate and probably send out suckers and new growth responding well to pruning.

[timetosmile]

mrspink - 6 years in and no noticeably bad luck yet!
But I do love your pruning plan ..after flowering, autumn or early spring?

[sinisterduck]

lilac?

[BehindLockNumberNine]

Sounds like a lilac to me - we had a few old ones in our old garden (victorian property) and I loved loved loved them...

[Mibby]

I prune both of mine properly after the flowers have died and then give it a quick tidy up, if needed, once the risk of frost has gone in spring. Dont know if thats 'right' but they seem to do well on it

[mrspink27]

After flowering usually. Lilacs are quite hardy I think.

[Bienchen]

I'd say lilac too, and a purple one as the leaves are having a red tinge.

I prune them after flowering but you can hard prune them in winter too. They will sulk for a year or too and send up many suckers which you can/must pull off.

If a lilac is too tall, you can cut it back to a foot or so but be prepared for it to sulk and not flower for a year or two and to deal with the suckers.

I love lilacs and feel it is sad that they have gone out of fashion. Don't prune now only in winter and immediately after flowering. A client of mine never had flowers as their previous "gardener" always "tidied " up the shrub in autumn....