Pruning Crepe Myrtles?

When is the best time to do this? I don't have any, but someone asked me about pruning theirs and I have no idea. Any tips?

Thx,

Jamie

It is not necessary to prune (murder, coppice) crepe myrtles. It is often done. However, it does nothing for the tree. In fact, the new growth is thin and long, and does not support the blooms as well as unpruned branches. It is very stressful to the tree- it has to start the season with no food- energy from the leaves- and grow enough branches to have enough leaves to survive.

If branches need to be removed- because they rub, or are too low (limbing up) late winter/early spring is the time to do this- before the tree begins new growth for the year.

Just because you see crepe myrtles severely pruned in commercial and residential settings does not mean you have to do this. You also see mulch piled up 8-12" thick in a small ring around trees- this is also poor practice. Mulch should not contact the trunk of a tree, nor cover the ground so thickly that water and air cannot get to the roots.

Thanks for the response- I have heard that too from die hards... DON'T HACK THEM UP! :) My friend/coworker is sooo not a gardener, and her crepe myrtle had never been touched. She said it was a "big, pink, pretty shrub and I liked it!" But her boyfriend, a commerical property manager, told her it needed to be pruned. Which maybe it did a little since it was growing over the sidewalk, but he whacked that sucker back HARD! She said she was not happy with it, but he told her that's what you are "supposed to do." I did tell her that I thought most "experts" would say that's bad, but I wanted a real answer. Now he wants to prune one of their friend's CMs and she wanted me to find out first if he had done that right. So I passed on the info. It was funny- I just showed her your response and she was so happy! She said "HA! I knew it! And I was right about a GARDENING question!!!" :) I think you saved the friend's "big, white, pretty bushes." LOL!

The wonderful thing about CM's is that there is a type for every situation. For folks who want theirs to stay small, there are Crape Myrtlettes. There are small bushes and every size up to big trees (my favorite). I am so glad that I work in a building where they hire knowledgeable landscapers who don't murder the CM's.

I don't think anybody took into consideration or asked about the location of the shrub. Depends on a person's conditions/situation as well though. For example, if I had one in an area that wouldn't support a large shrub (too close to the house, sidewalk, etc), it would have to be pruned to keep it in check. That would go for anything I have in my garden. I can't grow CM's here, but I do grow other larger shrubs. It's one thing to prune a shrub severly just because you think you're supposed to...but it's quite another to prune severly because you have to. Two completely different situations. I'll 'murder' anything in my garden is there's a good reason for it :) LOL I do 'try' though to not plant things in areas where they'll quickly outgrow that spot. If it happens, I have 3 options - 1. Dig it up and get rid of it - replace with smaller plant. 2. Prune it as much as necessary to keep it controlled. 3. Move it.

Having said that...many people I'm sure DO prune out of ignorance. As in, someone told them they were supposed to and they don't know any better - for example. Mostly, I don't prune anything...just a little maybe. But as things get more established and grow larger and larger, things will get a good pruning as need. Like the corkscrew hazel I have. It's a little too close to a rhododendrum (my fault). But I like the rhodo better...so Mr Corkscrew Hazel is getting a good haircut :) He'll either live and like it or he'll die...lol If he dies, I guess I didn't need him anyway :) He'll be ok though - not too severe of a pruning.

This message was edited Mar 9, 2005 9:58 AM

That's interesting Sfk. Here, we're told that Crape Myrtles need pruning yearly because they bloom from new wood. When not pruned, the branches get too full and bloom less. I agree that the hard pruning (murdering, well put by the way) ruins the aesthetic form of the tree. What I do with mine, Texasgarden, is take off the small twiggy growth and 6-12" off the tips (depending on the size of the plant, take less for smaller ones). I prune mine much like I do my Japanese maples & Rose of Sharons....take out the small thin stuff and gently prune for a nice form. When pruned hard they lose their grace and just look butchered. K

That's mainly how I do my pruning...light, to improve the looks mainly. Some would probably whack down this fast growing diablo ninebark...but I think it looks great big and wild :) I never even pruned a pyracantha shrub I had...and I know people cut them to shreds usually.

I agree with you hc. That 'Diabolo' looks gorgeous. I hope mine doesn't grown that fast or I'll have to move it since I'd hate to whack it!

As for the Crape Myrtles, when I was growing up in NC I never took much notice of them (first of all because I had NOOOO interest in gardening then, actually hated the idea of it; but that's another story of evolution). Then, after I began gardening I lived in a suburban area where every homeowner and every commercial landscaper did the yearly Crape Murder. Last year when I was in Georgia I saw massive CM's that had obviuosly never been whacked just because it was the thing to do. They were so spectacular I couldn't even believe they were CM's. It's unlikely I'll ever be able to have one given my winter winds, but I've had the hankering to plant an allee of them ever since.

Thanks for all the feedback. That Diabolo is gorgeous! Leave it alone! :)

She did need to prune hers. She lives in one of those planned subdivisions where you get the standard bradford pear, boxwood hedges, and crepe myrtle. Her driveway goes up the middle of the front of her yard, but offset a little. On the smaller area of lawn to the right of her driveway is where it is. And it is somewhat centered, but it is HUGE so it hangs into her driveway and flops out on the sidewalk. So it did need to be cut back to fit the space, but the hackjob he did was not necessary. He got reemed by her last night and retired his sheers. Ha! She said from now on she will "lightly prune it for shape and size control only." I told her that was very, very good. I have almost converted another gardener I think! This fall I actually had her outside digging and dividing the iris on the side of her house! The prior owner planted them on the side of the house and you have to go all the way into the backyard and walk around the side to see them! I just happened to get a peek from her kitchen window. They are deep purple and gorgeous! She said they used to bloom better and I was like "duh, they are croweded now and need to be divided!" So she did it and I was very impressed. :) THEN, I said I wanted some gerber daisies and she has them. So she came in to work as proud as could be with paper bags. She had cut the spent flowers off hers and brought them to me. She didn't separate the seeds but still said "look, I brought you seeds from my own plants!" She was so excited that if they don't germinate, I am buying some from Home Depot and telling her they grew from her seeds. HA!

What out mickgene...if yours is like mine, it'll grow and grow and grow...lol I don't give it any special care. It just seems to be a very aggressive shrub by nature.

hc, I just saw your 'Diabolo' pix in the PF. Those seedheads are terrific, too. I just planted mine in the fall expecting a "mid-border" mature size. I think I'll move them to the back so they can be free to just keep expanding and getting more impressive (hopefully as impressive as yours, that is.)

Thanks :) Mine is maybe 8' tall about about 8 to 9' wide at this point. Been in the ground for about 5 years. Bought in a 1 or 2 gallon pot.