Sam129
Newly Registered
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 8:27 am

Is my crepe myrtle too far gone?

We bought a house with 2 crepe myrtle trees right up along the road, and they are such an eyesore. A neighbor of mine said that the lawn care company that the old owner had would actually prune it like a bush. I've made it my mission to get back its beauty. I've seen so many videos and read articles with pictures, though, and none look as bad as my trees. Any advice? (Recent picture attached as well as one from last winter)
Attachments
IMG_3063.PNG
IMG_3064.JPG

User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

Too far gone? The crepe myrtles in the bottom picture look big and healthy. What do you think is wrong with them?

Crepe myrtles are in fact shrubs. Some people prune them to look like trees, but that is not their natural state and requires constant pruning to maintain.

They are lovely as shrubs:

Image

Sam129
Newly Registered
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 8:27 am

I guess I thought they weren't supposed to look like that because all of the crepe myrtles in my area look like trees. Even your picture is not so "bushy" as mine. But I'm glad you think they're nice, that makes me feel better about them. I really wanted almost an upside down triangle sort of outline to it. I was considering taking some pruning shears to the bottom 2-3 feet
rainbowgardener wrote:Too far gone? The crepe myrtles in the bottom picture look big and healthy. What do you think is wrong with them?

Crepe myrtles are in fact shrubs. Some people prune them to look like trees, but that is not their natural state and requires constant pruning to maintain.

They are lovely as shrubs:

Image

User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

No, you really don't want an upside down triangle. Everything below the wide part will get shaded out and die:

Image

You can make it less bushy by thinning - cut off some stems at ground level

Image

Late winter is the time to prune crepe myrtle. When the leaves are off you will be able to see the structure and decide better what you want to remove. And it is less harmful to your shrub. When dormant, it won't "bleed" sap much.

Sam129
Newly Registered
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 8:27 am

This was really helpful. Thanks!
rainbowgardener wrote:No, you really don't want an upside down triangle. Everything below the wide part will get shaded out and die:

Image

You can make it less bushy by thinning - cut off some stems at ground level

Image

Late winter is the time to prune crepe myrtle. When the leaves are off you will be able to see the structure and decide better what you want to remove. And it is less harmful to your shrub. When dormant, it won't "bleed" sap much.

User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

Well honestly, the more I thought about it, I think the top diagram is wrong. It is right for evergreen shrubs. But the crepe myrtle is naturally a rounded or vase shaped shrub, so that's what you want to let it be. The bottom diagram is correct.

Image



Return to “Trees, Shrubs, and Hedges”