Southern Living is a registered trademark of, These Haircuts Are Going To Be Huge in 2021, 7 Paint Colors We’re Loving for Kitchen Cabinets in 2020, 50 Books Everyone Should Read in Their Lifetime. People shorten crepe myrtles by six feet or more, turning beautiful trunks into thick, ugly stubs. But if you don't want to prune, then just let the plant grow to its natural shape. When people think of crepe myrtles, they envision warm summer days and pink, red, lavender, and white flower clusters sagging in the sun. Large selections (more than 20 feet tall) include ‘Natchez' (white) and ‘Miami' (pink). L… Some gardeners top them annually, but this ruins their natural shape and beauty. Topping--commonly called "crape murder"--can be very damaging and disfiguring to the tree. Pruning: Crape myrtles bloom in late spring through summer on new growth, so pruning should be done in winter when they're dormant. I like it because you can extend the pole to cut branches more than 15 feet from the ground. Begin at the Beginning. Loppers to cut branches 1/2-inch to 1-1/2 inches thick. The seed pods can also be quite heavy and might drag down your tree branches under their weight, and this is another reason that is in favor of pruning the crepe myrtle. When To Prune Crepe Myrtle Trees: There are lots to choose from and many are carefree, drought-tolerant native plants. Remove lower limbs that are thinner than a pencil diameter. To prune a mature crepe myrtle, you're going to need a few different types of pruning tools. Sometimes the branches snap off under the weight. However, if possible, this is the best option for reducing the size of the tree. They will grow in shade, but blooms will be sparse, and plants will get leggy. Nope. Repeated pruning to the same point creates gnarled, knobby "knuckles" on the ends of the trunks. If you already have a well-maintained crepe myrtle, regular pruning at the end of each winter or beginning of spring can keep it from becoming overgrown. Choose the right size for your landscape to help avoid the ultimate Southern gardening sin, "crepe murder" (severely pruning your tree to just a few sticks and ruining its natural form). These … To properly prune a mature crepe myrtle, you need three tools: 1. It’s also the best time to prune crape myrtles. WATCH: What's Wrong With My Crepe Myrtle? Research by the University of Florida indicates that if a suitable cultivar is selected and planted in an appropriate position, then you should never have to prune a crepe myrtle. This practice should be avoided for a whole host of reasons, but if you do find yourself in a position where you need to prune back your crepe myrtle, there are several options you can choose that will not harm your plant or leave you with an ugly winter stump on your lawn. Another reason people butcher crepe myrtles is because they say their plants get too big. Select a sunny location, and remember to mulch and water well to ease your tree into the landscape. Then, aided by my lovely unseen wife who agreed to take pictures, I finally pruned it to show you how it's done and how a mature crepe myrtle is supposed to look. Blooming Crape Myrtle Along a Walking Path. These shortfalls can stunt certain plants. They make excellent street trees and can be used in large yards. This ruins the natural form and encourages the growth of spindly, whiplike branches that are too weak to hold up the flowers. Murderers, take note! These hardy trees have few pest or disease problems, and they require little water and fertilizer. We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. As they grow taller, gradually remove all side branches up to a height of four to five feet. After all, you can always go back and cut more. Loppers, which are used to cut thicker branches that are higher up. But look at these classic trees in fall, and you might be surprised. Select these trees while they are in bloom. Also, tipping is impractical with large plants. Southern Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. Every year, the job gets easier. The fuller and denser a small crepe myrtle are, the less pruning … Certainly, in older varieties of crepe myrtle, the tree should have its branches thinned out to ensure good airflow to prevent disease. Pole pruners, which cut even thicker branches. The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly. This is a deciduous plant that can be either a tree or a large shrub. A far better solution is simply to select plants that like alkaline soil. These folks need to remember that crepe myrtles are small trees, not foundation shrubs. Early each spring, remove weak, spindly growth and all the branches that are growing in toward the center of the plant. This exposes the smooth, handsome bark. Remember, they can vary greatly in size and bloom colors. 3. If you have a large crepe myrtle tree growing in a position that doesn’t accommodate its size, then you’ll need to undertake annual pruning to keep it at a manageable size. Learn how to season this Southern kitchen staple in five easy steps. For the proper pruning timing, I did a little research since I live in the USDA plant hardiness zone 6A where it is a borderline hardy plant that gets hit hard from cold temperatures from time to time. Growing Trees in Pots - Benefits, Tips & Tricks, Autumn Blaze Maple Tree - Growing & Care Guide, Japanese Maple Tree - Care and Growing Tips, Different Types of Maple Trees with Pictures, Clementine Tree Care and Propagation Tips. I like pruning quite hard because in spring the branch will shoot out with new growth. This is why people often refer to alkaline soil as "limy" or "chalky." This practice is often unnecessary with newer cultivars because most have been selected for long seasons of bloom without repeated pruning. While pruning crepe myrtle trees is good for helping to keep the tree shaped like you would like it to be, it is not normally necessary to the health of the tree. Properly pruning you crape myrtle will maximize blooms, promote new growth and give your plant a great shape. It's how to properly prune their crepe myrtles Here's a step-by-step guide showing how the Grumps prunes his. Alkaline soil affects plants by increasing the availability of some soil nutrients while holding back on others. This practice results in a "witch's broom" appearance and a tree that is no longer in proportion. 3. Here are the downsides to pruning a crape myrtle back to an ugly 3- to 4-foot nub every year. The tool leaning up against it is my trusty pole pruner. © Copyright 2020 Meredith Corporation. You can't go back and cut less. You could learn from this. The trendy haircuts you’ll be seeing everywhere next year. Topping may yield larger flowers but does not increase the overall volume of blooms. It turns beautiful trees into ugly stumps. Select four or five well-spaced main trunks; remove any others at ground level. By doing this, you can sometimes get three or even four blooming periods from your plant each year. This was a great, excellent, informative post you have shared on this page about the pruning of crape myrtle. How did it become such a hot topic? It's the high crime of horticulture–the senseless, annual chopping back of beautiful crepe myrtles. Gather pruning equipment. However; if you are okay with a more “natural” look you can prune your Crepe Myrtles every 3-5 years. 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. This is absolutely false. Some gardeners suggest that a crepe myrtle should be pruned after flowering to encourage the plant to flower again. For year-round interest, remember this Southern classic. I leave mine. — Charlie Thigpen. 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. 3. This will also tidy up your tree if you don’t like the look of spent flowers or seed pods. These whips are too weak to support the flowers and hang straight down like cooked spaghetti. Removing seedheads on the end of branches is optional. But this is laborious and expensive and seldom succeeds over time. Because a lot of you take guidance from your ignorant neighbors neighbors, who prune their crepe myrtles to look like this. Name – Lagerstroemia indica Family – Lythraceae Type – tree or shrub Height – 10 to 16 feet (3 to 5 meters) Exposure – full sun, part sun Soil – rich enough Foliage – deciduous Flowering – May to October. Reach down now, and pull them off at ground level. But it's stingy with zinc, manganese, and sulfur. Pole pruners or a pruning saw to cut branches more than 1-1/2 inches thick. Below we have provided some example of … 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. Crape myrtles bloom on the new season’s growth in spring, so trimming them in February before new grow starts is ideal. Find out the mature height of a selection before planting it. We have over 55 varieties available of miniature, dwarf, medium and standard (tree) crape myrtles. Container-Grown trees are easy to transport and transition into the garden well be affected SUN for,! 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