The correct way to prune crape myrtle bushes is to simply prune away last season’s growth during the winter when the bush is dormant. Prune away the long, dormant limbs that grew during the summer and remove all the seed pods. Prune away all sucker growth that sprouts from the bottom of the bushes’ trunk too. To keep crape myrtle bushes at the desired height and in the desired shape, pruning needs to be done each year during the bushes’ dormant stage.
When is the best time to trim crape myrtle bushes?
When Is the Best Time to Trim Crape Myrtle Bushes & Trees?
- February to March. Late winter or early spring, after the last frost, is usually the time to do any major pruning of crape myrtles.
- Late Fall. Some people prune off dead wood and cut branches from their crape myrtles late in the fall before the first frost and after the last of the blooms ...
- Pruning. ...
- Pollarding. ...
- After Blooming. ...
When should you prune a crepe myrtle?
- Provide enough space for the branches. Remove those that are either too close with, cross, or rub each other
- Don’t prune a crepe myrtle’s top so it blooms. Doing so may result in larger flowers. ...
- Never extremely top a crepe myrtle. If topping is done extremely, it may result in weak branches growth which tends to bend or worse, break
When and how to properly prune your crepe myrtles?
To properly prune a mature crepe myrtle, you need three tools:
- Hand pruners to clip twigs and branches less than 1/2-inch thick.
- Loppers to cut branches 1/2-inch to 1-1/2 inches thick
- Pole pruners or a pruning saw to cut branches more than 1-1/2 inches thick.
How to properly prune crape myrtles?
Garden Help: Time to prune crape myrtle correctly
- The heavy pruning disfigures the profile to where the tree no longer looks like a tree.
- It creates large scars that are visible for several years.
- The blooms after topping are produced on thin vigorous growth that cannot support the weight of the bloom causing it to droop down.
- It creates more maintenance on an otherwise low maintenance tree. ...
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How do you trim small crepe myrtles?
Cut off suckers from the bottom, rubbing and cross growing branches and branches growing inward. Gradually cut off all side branches from the main base as the tree gets taller. Never leave lone or clustered stubs. Be sure to remove unwanted branches before they get too thick (thickness of a pencil).
When should you cut back crepe myrtle bushes?
Crape myrtles should be pruned during the winter. Many people prune in late winter, from late February into early March. The important thing to remember is to prune crape myrtles right before new growth begins in the spring. A crape myrtle's flower buds are produced on new growth.
How do you shape a crape myrtle?
Selectively prune upper branches along each stem to shape a flowing, open canopy. Remove branches that cross one another or grow through the interior of the crown. As the crapemyrtle grows, continue to remove lower branches and any suckers that emerge from the base of the plant.
How do you take care of a crape myrtle bush?
How to Care for Crape MyrtleFind Full Sunlight. Crape myrtle needs full sun (6 or more hours per day) to thrive. ... Use Suitable Soil. ... Fertilize Lightly. ... Treat Fungus Before It Starts. ... Prune Sparingly in Winter or Early Spring. ... Expose the Trunk for More Beauty. ... Deadhead for Even More Flowers.
What happens if you don't prune crepe myrtles?
Leaving it alone will result in a pretty raggedy-looking tree, and it won't grow as quickly either. The new growth will emerge on its own from the fresh cuts, and if you trim at just the right point, you'll encourage way more blooms to appear.
Is a crepe myrtle a bush?
Crape myrtle bushes (Lagerstroemia indica) are attractive varieties of multi-stemmed flowering shrubs with showy red, white, pink or purple flowers. Crape myrtle shrubs flower in summer, turning the large bushes into colorful floral displays that attract birds and pollinators.
How tall do dwarf crape myrtle trees get?
4 feetDwarf varieties only grow to a height of 4 feet or less. Semi-Dwarf varieties grow 4 to 8 feet tall. Large or Tree Crapemyrtle reaches a height of 10 to 20 feet. By choosing a suitably-sized variety for your location, you will eliminate the need for heavy pruning.
Should crepe myrtles be topped?
Topping a crape myrtle destroys the natural balance and beauty of the tree. Improperly trimmed multi-trunk crape myrtles have weakend immune responses and cannot fight off disease and insects as well. As the topping continues, the crape myrtles can respond by growing more trunks, worsening the problem.
How do I know what kind of crepe myrtle I have?
Leaves: Crape myrtles have bright fall colors, considered very attractive and decorative. They have dark green leaves, with a red fringe upon opening. In the fall the leaves turn red, yellow, or orange. Leaf type is simple, shape is oval and venation is pinnate.
How tall does a crepe myrtle bush get?
The common crapemyrtle grows to a height of 15–25' and a spread of 6–15' at maturity.
Can you keep a crepe myrtle small?
Can you keep a crepe myrtle small? It is easy to keep a crepe myrtle small. However, it's also easy to overzealously prune the tree, which can severely damage it. It's best not to prune the tree too aggressively and to prune no more than a third of it at a time.
What is the term for the way people cut back crepe myrtles?
The trend to drastically cut back a crepe myrtle by entirely lopping off the upper section led to the coining of the term ‘crepe murder, ’ which refers to the way many people find the winter stumps of crepe myrtle to be unattractive. ‘.
What is a crepe myrtle tree?
The crepe myrtle tree is also commonly known as ‘crape myrtle,’ ‘crepe flower,’ and ‘Indian crape myrtle.’ Botanically speaking, its scientific name is Lagerstroemia indica. This is a deciduous plant that can be either a tree or a large shrub. It thrives in warm temperatures, being hardy through USDA Hardiness Zones 7–9, and so is popularly cultivated in these types of climates around the world. It is especially popular in the Southern United States, where it is a common sight in backyards and lining residential streets. The tree is actually native to parts of Australia and Asia.
Why is crepe myrtle so popular?
The bark of the tree has a mottled effect, and it sheds itself throughout the year to reveal fresh bark beneath. The flowers of crepe myrtle are the reason why it is so popular. It blooms in abundance in summer and fall, with huge panicles of densely packed, crinkled flowers. Crepe myrtle flowers come in various colors, ...
How tall is a Crepe Myrtle?
There are many cultivars of crepe myrtle available, with dwarf varieties that do not exceed three feet in height, through to large trees that can range in height from 30 feet to 100 feet. Dwarf cultivars that work well as low hedging or in borders include ‘Hopi,’ ‘Zuni,’ ‘Prairie Lace,’ ‘Centennial,’ ‘Victor,’ and ‘Acoma.’.
How long does it take for a tree to bloom after pruning?
If you choose to use pollarding, then you can expect blooming to be delayed by around a month while the tree takes extra time to recover. The more severely you prune the tree, the more blooming will be affected.
Can crepe myrtle rebloom?
Many modern cultivars of crepe myrtle have been selected for their ability to bloom for a long period of time, and therefore getting the plant to rebloom isn’t really an issue. If you have a crepe myrtle that produces long seasons of blooms, then you may wish to refrain from pruning it.
Do you need to prune a crape myrtle?
If you follow these guidelines, then your crape myrtle will be a very low maintenance plant that does not need regular pruning. However, if you have already got a crepe myrtle taking up too much space in your yard, then pruning might be necessary for your situation. The trend to drastically cut back a crepe myrtle by entirely lopping off ...
What is a crape myrtle?
Crape myrtle is a typically low-maintenance plant. Choosing the cultivar best suited for the landscape situation prior to planting is the best way to ensure it doesn’t become a maintenance nightmare. Crape myrtles are available in dwarf & semi-dwarf shrub sizes, as well as small, medium, and large tree selections. The large variety of colors and sizes provides many options available to select the right size plant for a certain space. For a listing of crape myrtle cultivars, including their size and color, see HGIC 1023 Crape Myrtle Varieties.
Why is it called "topping" on myrtles?
Excessive Pruning. The practice of chopping off the tops of crape myrtles, known as ‘topping’ is, unfortunately, very commonplace. Topping has been aptly named ‘Crape Murder’ by gardeners due to the murderous affect to the plants appearance resulting from the severe nature of the pruning.
How to develop a tree shape?
To develop a tree shape, remove all but three to five of the strongest trunks at ground level. As these trunks mature, remove lower, lateral branches (aka ‘limbing-up’) to one-third or halfway up the height of the plant.
Do crape myrtles grow in South Carolina?
Crape myrtle prefers hot, sunny climates and in South Carolina may grow to tree-size proportions. It is important tree types are sited where they have a large area to spread. When given an ideal location, these tree types should be allowed to develop their natural style without whacking off their tops.
Is crape myrtle a good landscape plant?
Also making crape myrtle a popular landscape choice is the fact that the plant is as tough as it is beautiful. Their peeling bark, fall color, and the grace of their natural form are other prized characteristics.
Is a crape myrtle tree in need of pruning?
This Crape myrtle is in need of pruning. There are too many trunks, and the canopy needs to be thinned. The same tree after pruning. The canopy has been opened up to allow in more sunlight, and the lower limbs and suckers have been removed to develop the trunk structure.
Can I cut my crepe myrtle to the ground?
Since the deciduous trees bloom on new wood, they are often cut back severely each year with the goal of more new wood, for more blooms. While a crepe myrtle does grow back, even from being cut to the ground, less is more when it comes to pruning this summer stalwart.
How do I make my crepe myrtle bloom?
Late Pruning: This is by far the most common reason for crape myrtle blooming problems. Crape myrtles should be pruned either after they finish blooming, or in very early spring before they sprout. Don't prune them once they've started growing in spring, because those new shoots give rise to this year's blooms.
How do I make my crepe myrtle grow tall?
Feed your crape myrtle a fertilizer heavy in nitrogen in spring. The nutrient is known to encourage growth. A six-year U.S. Forest Service study of eucalyptus-tree growth in Hawaii found that trees fed with nitrogen fertilizer were more than twice as tall as untreated trees during the first three years of growth.
Why is my crepe myrtle not blooming?
The number one most common reason Crepe Myrtles fail to bloom is improper pruning techniques (or a lack of pruning altogether). Crepe Myrtles bloom on the current season's growth. If they are pruned too late, all the new wood is removed and the flower buds never develop.
How do you prune a crepe myrtle that is too tall?
This may call for removing branches 2 inches or less in diameter. If heavy-pruning your too-tall crape is an annual ritual, transplant it, if possible, and replace it with a shorter variety. If it's only a bit too tall, prune the top branches back 2 feet to a side branch. But don't leave stubs.
Should crepe myrtles be topped?
When pruning a crape myrtle, you should be cutting to see through them, not over them. The most common rationale for topping crape myrtles is when the tree has outgrown its space.
How do you trim a tall crepe myrtle tree?
Restore overgrown crepe myrtles gradually by pruning over a three-year period so the tree continues to bloom. Remove deadwood before the spring starts and cut the top of the tree 2 feet below the height you want the blooms to be that year. Repeating this process can bring a largely overgrown crepe myrtle under control.
What happens when you commit a crape murder?
When Crape Murder is committed it can literally appear that half, or more, of the plant has been removed. On the one hand... This technique is used by some no professional landscapers and homeowners because it's quick, fairly easy, the plant almost always recovers..
Is a crape myrtle tough?
Natural Look. Now the good news is that Crape Myrtles are one darn tough plant. So the bottom line is if you make a mistake most likely your tree will recover in a few seasons. Most people don't know this.
Can you prune crape myrtles with chainsaw?
If yours are way out of control, then a chainsaw might be necessary in the most extreme cases. So now on to the good stuff. Click on image to view larger.
Is crape myrtle pruneable?
Crape Myrtles are one of the most resilient and prune-able plants I have ever seen. So its really just a matter of your preference how much time and effort you are willing to invest into heir pruning and care. There's really no "wrong" way to do it, so experiment and have fun! Meanwhile….
Why do you prune a crepe myrtle tree?
With a formal style, when you prune crepe myrtle trees, you are pruning for outward shape rather than inner openness. Formal style pruning is also thought to encourage additional blooming since it forces the tree to grow more new wood, which is where blossoms are formed.
Do crepe myrtles bloom in spring?
In the spring, crepe myrtle trees are covered with lovely blossoms. As with most trees and shrubs, one of the most questions is “How to prune a crepe myrtle?”
What is a suckers myrtle?
"Suckers" refers to the new growth that comes from the base of the trunk. Most people prune these off. However, if you want your Crape Myrtle to have a more "natural" look or would like it to have multiple trunks, leave some of the suckers to grow. Blooms will appear on new growth suckers.
What is a crape murder?
"Crape Murder" is a term used to describe the aggressive pruning of Crape Myrtles. It can literally appear that half, or more, of the plant has been removed. This technique is used by landscapers and home owners because it's quick, fairly easy, the plant almost always recovers and ensures maximum new growth.#N#This technique is NOT recommended as it may damage you plant.
Can you prune a crape myrtle?
Allowing your Crape Myrtle to grow into it's natural shape has been the trend in recent years. This approach requires little to no pruning. Just allow your plant to branch and spread naturally. Your Crape Myrtle will still bloom and be beautiful if watered often and properly Fertilized.
