How do you keep crepe myrtles small?

Cut off suckers from the bottom, rubbing and cross growing branches and branches growing inward. Gradually cut off all side branches from the main base as the tree gets taller. Never leave lone or clustered stubs. Be sure to remove unwanted branches before they get too thick (thickness of a pencil).

How do you make crepe myrtles smaller?

Remove extraneous or interior branches that might cross between trunks or rub against each other, cut low branches to encourage vertical growth and prune unwanted new trunks to the ground. Eliminate any growth equal to or less than pencil width to prioritize nutrients to the main branches.

Can crepe myrtle be kept small?

So, in conclusion, crapemyrtles trees are usually grown as small trees with 3 to 5 trunks that are kept free of small limbs up on the lower part of the tree (up to 2/3 of the height).

How do you keep crepe myrtles from spreading?

Make a flush cut. Do not leave a stub or several suckers will appear for every one you cut off. To prevent suckers from growing back so fast, treat the freshly cut spots with a product such as Monterey Sucker Stopper (some local nurseries may carry this, or you can order online).

How do you shape a crape myrtle?

Selectively prune upper branches along each stem to shape a flowing, open canopy. Remove branches that cross one another or grow through the interior of the crown. As the crapemyrtle grows, continue to remove lower branches and any suckers that emerge from the base of the plant.

All About Crape Myrtles (Growing and Maintaining Crape Myrtles)

What if my crepe myrtle is too tall?

If your crape myrtle does become too tall for its location, you can prune the tree back to a more appropriate height- just don't make this a regular practice each year. It will take a little more time to prune correctly, but you will end up with a beautiful tree.

Should crepe myrtles be topped?

Topping a crape myrtle destroys the natural balance and beauty of the tree. Improperly trimmed multi-trunk crape myrtles have weakend immune responses and cannot fight off disease and insects as well. As the topping continues, the crape myrtles can respond by growing more trunks, worsening the problem.

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.

How many trunks should a crape myrtle have?

For most crape myrtles, choose three, five, or—at most—seven main trunks. An odd number of trunks is more pleasing to the eye than an even number, which often looks like soldiers in formation. Keep trunks that have ample space to grow and are growing straight and strong.

What month should crepe myrtles be cut back?

February is a good time to prune crape myrtles. It should be done before fresh growth appears in March. Its toughness makes crape myrtle a popular plant. They are fast-growing and highly adaptable.

What does a dwarf crepe myrtle look like?

Cherry Dazzle® Dwarf Crape Myrtle

A dazzling show of color that begins with bronze new leaves that mature to dark green, followed by masses of brilliant red flowers, and finally fall foliage that changes to a vibrant red-purple. Its compact habit and disease resistant foliage means easier care in shrub borders.

Which is the smallest crepe myrtle?

Lagerstroemia indica 'Nana', otherwise known as Dwarf Crepe Myrtle, are looking brilliant at the moment. Lagerstroemia indica 'Nana' are great feature plants for small courtyards or gardens.

Can you cut a crepe myrtle too much?

You may or may not have heard of the term “crape murder” prior to this, but if you've ever driven down the road and noticed trees that have been cut back to an extreme degree, then you've seen the unfortunate results of crape murder. The term refers to severely and improperly pruning back the tops of crape myrtles.

How tall should a crepe myrtle be?

The common crapemyrtle grows to a height of 15–25' and a spread of 6–15' at maturity.

Should crepe myrtles be trimmed every year?

Also, crepe myrtles need minimal pruning. Some gardeners top them annually, but this ruins their natural shape and beauty. Remove the sucker growth that sometimes appears around the base. Only prune to shape trees or to take out any cross branching.

How do you make a crepe myrtle multi trunk?

Crape Myrtles grow naturally with multiple trunks growing out of the ground. This is the classic look that most people associate with the tree. If you want the multi-trunk, allow your crape myrtle to branch along the length of the stem. Each growing season allow a few suckers to grow into stems.

What is the difference between a crepe myrtle bush and a crepe myrtle tree?

Crape Myrtle Bush Vs.

The difference between the crape myrtle bush and the crape myrtle tree is that the tree is taller than crape myrtle bush. 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.

Do crepe myrtles 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.

When should you deadhead crepe myrtles?

Follow these tips when deadheading crape myrtles: July Deadline: If the blooms on your crape myrtles are already fading by the end of July, deadheading can encourage another (probably smaller) bloom in late summer.

What can you plant at the bottom of a crepe myrtle?

Creeping lilyturf is a popular option for planting beneath a crepe myrtle tree as they're known for being beautiful and shallow-rooted. This plant produces dark green foliage and cone-shaped flowers in purple and white. These flowers can handle warm climates and drought.

Is it too late to cut crepe myrtles back?

Pruning as late as May will likely cause some delay in bloom time, and pruning later than May may delay bloom noticeably but will not harm the tree. Any branches you leave untouched will be unaffected, so as with any tree, removing poorly placed or dead/broken branches can be done at any time.

Can you trim crepe myrtles with a chainsaw?

You must understand a Crepe Myrtle is a tree, not a shrub. Therefore, do not take a chainsaw and cut all limbs off shoulder high. This is not the correct way to prune a Crepe Myrtle. Treat the plant as a tree.

How big do dwarf crepe myrtles grow?

Dwarf crepe myrtle varieties Australia

Great varieties to look out for include: Lagerstroemia 'Dwarf red' - Deciduous crepe myrtle tree that produces red flowers in summer. This variety is frost tolerant and will grow up to 2 metres in height.

Can you plant a crepe myrtle close to the house?

Tip. You can plant crape myrtle near the foundation as they have non-invasive roots, according to Dayton Nursery. However, be sure to plant them far enough away from the foundation and the building so the shrub can grow to its full size without being blocked by the building.