Crepe Myrtle

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srkrause Boulder Creek, CA(Zone 9a) Jul 16, 2010

I have a fully grown crepe myrtle that seldom flowers fully. Lower branches are in dappled shade a lot, but top 1/3 gets loads of direct sun in summer.

It drooped 30% or so twice in recent drought years and I deep watered it and it was fine, or seemed so. All other such trees here are in full fettle.

Ideas?

This message was edited Jul 16, 2010 1:29 PM

Post #7973600
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KayJones Lee's Summit, MO(Zone 6a) Jul 16, 2010

From allexperts.com:

Here are the normal reasons crept myrtle does not bloom properly:

1. Not Enough Sunlight---Crapemyrtles need at least 6 to 8 hours of full sun to flower well.

2. Insufficient Water---Crapemyrtles are very drought tolerant once established, but flowering can be enhanced with irrigation during extended dry periods.

3. Heavy Nitrogen Applications---Trees that are continually fertilized with nitrogen will put on a lot of vegetative growth but may not flower as profusely

4. Low Fertility---Crapemyrtles benefit from an application of a complete fertilizer in early spring to produce enough energy for growth and flower production

5. Severe Pruning---Heavily pruned crapemyrtles will put most of their energy into regrowing limbs and leaves and less energy will go into flower production

If I were to guess, I would say 1 and 4 would be the main reasons.
Really can not do much about the amount of sun now, but I would fertilize with 10-10-10 fertilizer at the rate of 1 lb of fertilizer per accumulated inch of trunk diameter (if it is a multiple trunk tree add the diameters together) scattered around the tree and watered in good. Also, mulch around the tree with not more than 3 inches deep of pine straw - not piled up on the trunk. This will help hold moisture and add acid to the soil over time.

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greatswede Lincoln, CA(Zone 9b) Jul 17, 2010

This has been an unusual year in our area for crape myrtles to bloom. Usually we have blooms in the middle of June, now it's a month later and some still haven't bloomed. The ones that have are not in full bloom, except for an occastional variety.

It isn't just my yard so I don't look to see what I did wrong. I did consider at first maybe it got too much fertilizer but when I saw other Crape Myrtles not in bloom either, I dismissed that. So I still don't know what's going on.

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