How long do crepe myrtles live?

Lifespan of Crepe Myrtle

Crepe myrtles live quite a few years if you take care of them. A crepe myrtle lifespan can exceed 50 years. So that's the answer to the question “how long do crepe myrtle trees live?” They can live a good, long time with suitable care.

What happens if you don't cut back 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 old is the oldest crepe myrtle?

The oldest documented Crepe Myrtle tree stands at 132 years old in Roncade, Italy.

What is the average lifespan of a crepe myrtle?

Lifespan – When planted in full sun and fertile soil, Crepe Myrtles can live well beyond 50 years. In fact, dotted along the southeastern landscape, it is common to come across specimens over 100 years old.

What kills crepe myrtle?

Answer: To stop the crape myrtle from coming up from the roots you can apply a phenoxy herbicide product like Dicamba or 2,4D. The herbicide will kill the roots too. You can also use sucker stopper which is a plant growth regulator.

How long does it take for a crape myrtle to grow?

Do crape myrtles have deep roots?

Crepe myrtle roots do not sink taproots deep into the ground or send lateral roots out to crack anything in their path. In fact, the entire crepe myrtle root system is shallow and fibrous, spreading out horizontally up to three times as far as the canopy is wide.

How do I save my crepe myrtle from dying?

Once the crape myrtle has become tall enough, allow nature to take its course, as the pods will drop and the tree will bloom on its own. The rule of thumb for pruning a crape myrtle is much like pruning any other plant. Remove any dead or dying branches. Thin out twiggy growth to allow air to better circulate.

Do crepe myrtle trees have to be pruned?

Growing Conditions

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.

Do crepe myrtles need deadheading?

Q: Do you have to deadhead crape myrtle trees to get more flowers? A: No, you do not have to deadhead the Southern lilac (crepe or crape myrtle, depending on what source you consult), but it does help to stimulate more flowers when you do — if you can reach them.

What diseases do crepe myrtles get?

The most common problems include powdery mildew, Cercospora leaf spot, aphids, Japanese beetles, and sooty mold. More information on successfully growing crape myrtles is available in HGIC 1008, Crape Myrtle, and HGIC 1009, Crape Myrtle Pruning.

Why is it called a crepe myrtle?

They are not authentic myrtles—the myrtle name is due to their small leaf shape that resembles that of a true myrtle. "Crape" refers to the crinkly flowers that resemble crepe paper. The genus name is attributed to Magnus von Lagerstroem (1696-1759), a Swedish merchant and naturalist.

Where did Crepe Myrtles originally come from?

Graves: Crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia) are from eastern Asia: China and Korea. There are no species of plants in the crape myrtle genus native to North America, but introduced Lagerstroemia have been planted in incredibly large numbers in the southeastern United States.

Is crepe myrtle an Australian native?

There is an Australian native Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia archeriana), which grows to around 7m tall and has pinkish mauve flowers. Another interesting variety of Crepe Myrtle is the Diamonds in the Dark series. The foliage is dark burgundy and come in a range of colour flowers such as white, red, pink and purple.

What month do you prune crepe myrtle trees?

Early spring before new growth is the best time to prune crape myrtles. Whenever you prune, you cause the tree to generate new growth. New growth that starts now will not have time to harden off before frost.

When should you cut back crepe myrtles?

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 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 seed pods be removed from crepe myrtle?

The balls at the end of crape myrtle branches are seed pods that formed from the flowers last summer. They do not hurt the tree and will not affect flowering this summer. A: The short answer is no. You do not need to cut off the balls at the end of the branches.

How do I get more flowers on my crepe myrtle?

Crape myrtles need to have new growth each spring in order to produce summer flowers. These flowers come on current-season growth, so late winter/early spring fertilization can aid crape myrtle flowering in the summer. It is not too late to fertilize this year if you haven't yet.

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.

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.

Why is my crepe myrtle not blooming?

Fertilizer. If that crape myrtle is getting plenty of sunshine and still not blooming, it could be a lack of phosphorus. Checking the soil around the tree may prove this out. OR too much nitrogen may be the problem; both of these situations cause no blooms.

Why do crepe myrtles shed their bark?

Crepe Myrtle Bark Shedding – A Perfectly Normal Process

It occurs after the tree has reached full maturity, which may be a several years after you plant it. Crepe myrtle bark shedding is a normal process to these trees. They are often prized because of the coloration that shows up on their wood once the bark is shed.

Why are my Crepe Myrtles dying?

So, why did it die? The most likely answer is cold damage. I had noticed last summer that the plant didn't look as healthy as it had in previous years. When temperatures drop below 10 degrees for any length of time, crape myrtle tends to die back down to the ground.

Can you overwater a crape myrtle?

Overwatering crape myrtles in spring and summer can diminish flowering, since overly moist soil promotes leafy growth, not flower production.