Plants and trees have been feeling the impact of Minnesota’s mild winter and wet spring that followed.

Some people have seen their lilac bushes looking a bit different this year and experts are sharing what is exactly happening to them.

If your lilac bush has withering leaves and is turning brown, it’s most likely not dying.

While they may look dried out, the opposite is true. This is a result of our wet spring and mild winter from earlier this year.

“You go on any walk around the city and you’ll see this. You’ve got the spotted leaves, kind of dark brown, and it keeps growing until they finally fall off,” said Erik Bergstrom with the Minnesota Horticultural Society.

It stems from bacterial blight and is mainly a visual issue that’s easy to treat.

“Any time you see these leaves drop, get them out of there. Don’t compost them. It’s still got the bacteria on it,” Bergstrom added.

The leaves will need a little more space to breathe.

“Go through and create more airflow. So getting rid of a lot of the old trunks to make sure that the air goes through and keeps a lot of the wetness out,” said Bergstrom.

Speaking of wetness, these spring bushes don’t like a lot of water, so you’ll want to make sure the soil is well-drained.

“And then just kind of wait it out,” Bergstrom said. “We’ve got some new leaves coming out right now. So, it is a resilient plant. It just needs some TLC.”

It’s a game of patience, but in time, your lilac bush will come back looking healthy. Just remember to get rid of the fallen leaves instead of leaving them or you’ll have the same issue next year.