How do you prune a crape myrtle?
This balance can be found by following a few simple (yet crucial) steps:
- Start pruning early on in the plant’s life
- Commit to a shape that suits your landscape
- Always leave the strongest branches intact
- Remove old or damaged limbs as soon as possible
- Avoid over-pruning the topmost branches
- Invest (and learn to use) the right tools for the job
How to plant a crape myrtle?
– Choose a suitable planting site for the needs of your tree – Prepare the soil – Dig a hole the depth of the pot – Put the tree in its hole and replace most of the soil – Water well, let the water drain and put back the rest of the soil – Put a mulch around your tree and water regularly Getting Your Crape Myrtle Trees Ready to Plant
When do I trim crepe myrtles?
What Month to Prune a Crepe Myrtle
- Pruning Crape Myrtles in Winter. Crape myrtles are dormant through the winter months of December, January and February. ...
- Spring Pruning Crepe Myrtle Trees. Dormancy continues into March and sometimes April. ...
- Summer Pruning Crepe Myrtle Trees. ...
- Fall Pruning Crepe Myrtle Trees. ...
- Sanitizing Pruning Tools. ...
How to grow crape myrtles?
Propagating Crepe Myrtle by Seed
- Seeds of Crape Myrtles can be grown.
- The Crape Myrtle produces berries that eventually become seedpods and are non-toxic and highly beautiful.
- When these seedpods are dry, they crack open, revealing the seed capsule.
- In the fall, the seed capsule ripens and can be gathered for spring sowing.
What is the smallest crape myrtle tree?
Dwarf 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.
Can crape myrtle be kept 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.
How do you take care of a dwarf crepe myrtle?
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.
How tall do dwarf myrtles get?
5-8 ft. highDescription. The dwarf myrtle slowly grows into a medium size evergreen shrub up to 5-8 ft. high and as wide. It is one of the most popular and well adapted plants for clipped hedge and topiary uses.
How do you trim crepe myrtles to stay small?
If you need to prune your crapemyrtle tree or shrub, thinning branches to limb up the crapemyrtle is the correct method. Remove lower limbs that are thinner than a pencil diameter. While the plant is young, it is acceptable to prune the top of the branches. When it gets older, this is unacceptable.
How fast do dwarf crepe myrtles grow?
Growth Rate This shrub grows at a fast rate, with height increases of more than 24" per year.
What time of year is best to plant crepe myrtles?
springLate fall to early spring is the best time to plant. First, learn some information about the lifespan and growth of your tree. Crepe myrtles range in size from dwarf selections (less than three feet tall) to some that can reach as tall as 30 feet.
Where is the best place to plant a crepe myrtle?
Crape Myrtles can be grown all over the USA, in any soil type. The site should be in the bright, hot sun: full or partial sun (6hrs min). No heavy shade for Crape Myrtles. If the site gets sun for part of the day then it's fine.
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.
What is the best dwarf crepe myrtle?
Dwarf Varieties The best purple dwarf. 'Pocomoke': Bright-pink blooms and deep green foliage on a mounding shrub that grows 2 to 3 feet high and 3 to 4 feet wide. Great in pots.
What does a dwarf myrtle look like?
Description of dwarf myrtle: The myrtle forms a densely leaved shrub 5 to 6 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide. In truly hospitable sites, it can become a small tree. The fragrant white flowers are numerous and have a fuzzy appearance due to their numerous stamens.
Is dwarf myrtle toxic to dogs?
Are Crape Myrtle Poisonous to Dogs? Crape Myrtle is not poisonous to dogs, so you can include this perennial shrub in your landscape if you have furry friends. Some varieties have berries and seed pods that may fall from the plant, but there is no reason to be concerned if your dog eats any part of the plant.
How do you grow small crepe myrtles?
Find a Sunny Location. Decide where in your garden the crape myrtle should go. ... Choose a Variety. Choose a variety that won't outgrow its space or need to be constantly pruned. ... Dig a Hole. Dig a hole three to four times as wide as the container. ... Plant the Tree. ... Water Gently. ... Mulch with Pine Straw.
Can you bonsai a crepe myrtle?
General Background: Dwarf Crape myrtle makes an excellent bonsai due to its exquisite branch formation and the contrast of the red upon silver of the peeling bark. It gets its common name from its crepe-like, crinkled petals and the resemblance of its leaves to the true myrtle, Myrtus communis.
What is a semi dwarf crepe myrtle?
These are the best semi-dwarf Crape Myrtle shrubs or small trees, often spelled crepe myrtle, that will grow to between 5 and 10 feet tall at maturity. These fit well in small garden spaces and are ideal for use in groupings in larger landscape spaces to add an unrivaled show of vibrant color during summer.
Do crape myrtle trees have invasive roots?
Crepe myrtle trees are lovely, delicate trees offering bright, spectacular flowers in the summer and beautiful fall color when the weather begins to chill. But are crepe myrtle roots invasive enough to cause problems? You don't have to worry about this issue because crepe myrtle tree roots are not invasive.
How many varieties of crape myrtles are there?
Our nursery has been growing crape myrtles for over 40 years. We are the original inventors of the US Patented Miniature Crape Myrtles! We have over 55 varieties available of miniature, dwarf, medium and standard (tree) crape myrtles. Crape Myrtles are great for landscaping, ground cover, hanging baskets, bonsai, shrubs, privacy hedges and beautiful specimen trees. Many of the photos you see in the Slide Show were taken at the Worlds Fair where our Patented Mini Crapes were the Official Plants.
How to make a crape tree with 3 different colors?
A secret way to amaze your neighbors: Plant 3 different colored Crapes in the same hole with the root-balls touching. Take a piece of string and tie the 3 stems together so they are touching. In 2-3 years the stems will actually fuse together to become 1 tree with 3 different colored flowers.
Do crape myrtles like heat?
Crape myrtles love sun and heat. Here in the south they have emerged from dormancy and have even begun to set their first summer flowers. If you're in a Northern area, you may have to wait a few more weeks. But don't worry, they'll also emerge with lots of new green leaves and a promise of summer long blooms!
How Can I Use Dwarf Crape Myrtles in My Garden?
While the place for a large crape myrtle is likely out on your lawn, the dwarf varieties fit perfectly into shrub beds. Most garden shrubs bloom in spring, and beds start to look dull and green by July.
Growing Dwarf Crape Myrtles
The great thing about these plants is how easy they are to grow. Full sun is the first essential – research how shown how quickly even a little shade for a couple of hours a day will reduce blooming. This is also why they grow so well in areas with long, sunny summers. Outside of that, all you need is well-drained soil.
Some Dwarf Crape Myrtles
Here are some newer varieties of dwarf plants that fit the bill perfectly.
How tall do crepe myrtles grow?
Crepe myrtles they said would grow 10 to 15 feet tall ended up growing 20 to 30 feet tall. Which meant that many crepe myrtles grew too big for the spots they were in and homeowners started chopping off their heads every spring. (To see how to correctly prune a large crepe myrtle, click right here .) What Went Right.
When did crepe myrtles get shot in the arm?
What Went Wrong. Crepe murder -- the grisly rite of chopping crepe myrtles into ugly stumps -- really got a shot in the arm about 20 to 30 years ago, when the first mildew-resistant hybrids with native American names ('Natchez,' 'Muskogee,' 'Tuscarora,' etc.) were introduced by the U.S. National Arboretum.
What is the best purple dwarf?
The best purple dwarf. 'Pocomoke' -- Bright-pink blooms and deep green foliage on a mounding shrub that grows 2 to 3 feet high and 3 to 4 feet wide. Great in pots. Razzle Dazzle Series -- Mounding shrubs 3 to 4 feet tall and wide come in a wide range of colors. Do great in containers.
Is there Neanderthal DNA in crepe myrtles?
No, it's not too much Neanderthal DNA. It's that the variety of crepe myrtle they planted got way too big. Here's a guide to which crepe myrtles won't outgrow your house or yard, so you won't have to chop them grotesquely each year. What Went Wrong.
How tall do crape myrtles get?
The flower clusters at the top were from varieties growing to mature heights of less than 5 ft., while flowers at the bottom of the photo were from varieties that will grow to be 20 ft. tall and taller. No one will probably ever have a complete list of all the crape myrtle varieties. There are many cultivars/varieties that are identical ...
Is there a list of all the crape myrtle varieties?
No one will probably ever have a complete list of all the crape myrtle varieties. There are many cultivars/varieties that are identical to others with different names. Only gene testing could tell us the real facts. In other cases, there are variety names in historic nursery catalogs from decades past, but those varieties are apparently nowhere ...
What is the difference between a crape myrtle and a crape myrtle tree?
Crape Myrtle Tree. Crape myrtle bushes are smaller than trees and have multiple stems. The difference between the crape myrtle bush and the crape myrtle tree is that the tree is taller than crape myrtle bush.
How tall is a crape myrtle?
Crape myrtle bushes have multiple stems and their height is between 2 and 15 ft. (0.6 – 4.5 m). Crape myrtle trees can be as much as 20 ft. (6 m) taller than the bushes. Some crape myrtle trees can grow up to 35 ft. (10 m) high.
What is Crape Myrtle Bush?
Crape myrtle bushes are fast-growing, small to medium-sized deciduous shrubs with multiple stems. Crape myrtles have a relatively compact growth habit with a spreading, vase-like shape and flat-topped growth. The attractive features of crape myrtle bushes are their flowers with crepe-like petals, orange or red fall foliage, and interesting pinkish-gray, mottled, peeling bark.
How much sun does a crape myrtle need?
Crape myrtle bushes need at least six hours of sunshine daily to bloom profusely. These shrubs can grow in partial shade; however, you’ll notice that they produce fewer flower clusters.
What color are the leaves on a crape myrtle?
The appealing leaves on crape myrtle shrubs are dark green in summer before turning yellow, orange, or red in the fall. The small deciduous, oval leaves measure up to 2” or 3” (5 – 7.5 cm) long and have rounded ends. Crape myrtle leaves have a pinnate growing arrangement and grow oppositely on stems.
What is the best hedge for grape myrtle?
The best varieties for growing a grape myrtle hedge are Lagerstroemia indica x fauriei ‘Tonto,’ and Lagerstroemia indica ‘Mo num.’
What is the name of the small shrub that produces crepe-like flowers that are a deep pink-purple?
Another small crape myrtle bush is the Petite Orchid cultivar. The dwarf shrub produces crepe-like flowers that are a deep pink-purple color. Its fast growth and short stature make the Lagerstroemia petite orchid shrub best for planting at the front of the house, along borders, in rock gardens, or in containers.
