Thank you MomwithHope. The lilac is in a big barrel with potting soil, which I keep adding to as needed. So it is not in native soil. Have you ever heard of a lilac that doesn’t give out shoots? Maybe because it’s in a container, so that’s why I thought of putting it in the ground. I have a lot of lilacs, and have propagated a few very successfully. This particular one has sentimental value for me, so I’m trying to preserve and invigorate it.
I should have asked what state you are in. I would think that anywhere a lilac would not want to be in a pot. For it to send out shoots it needs lots of room for new roots. It may be like many bushy shrubs, that what’s in the ground as far as root systems mirrors what’s up top.