Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:06:18 -0400 (EDT)
From: Kristin Elsenbeck
Subject: Crepe Myrtle Pruning
Most Crepe Myrtles will naturally sucker at the bottom, so pruning is required to tree-form them. For best results, wait until winter time when the bush is dormant to do any major pruning. Pick 3-4 of the strongest-looking shoots to train up as your trunks. Cut out all of the other shoots. In the spring, the plant will try to put out new shoots from the ground, but keep these pruned out so that the energy will go into the trunk shoots you’re nurturing. As the shoots get taller, you can begin to prune them at the bottom to start limbing it up.
Don’t prune too much off of them at once – always leave at least the top 2/3 of the plant with foliage. Eventually, you will have a tree! One other note: it is COMPLETELY unnecessary to prune a crepe myrtle back to make it bloom – that’s a common myth. You will often see trees that have been “crepe-murdered” – they are pruned back to a random point along a trunk or main branch. Not only is this ugly, but it creates weak points in the tree when the new shoots all pop up at the top of the cut and it’s not needed to make it bloom.
Good Luck!
Kristin E
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