Pruning very large Natchez Crepe Myrtles

18 years ago

We have three very large (about 30 ft) Natchez Crepe Myrtle trees ringing our patio. Apparently, until we moved into the house about 8 years ago, the previous owners had pruned them back every winter in the very way people tell you not to prune them -- to the nubby trunks. We stopped doing that and were blessed with the much larger trees that provide great shade, flowers and color in a graceful canopy. However, I'm a little worried about them. Each tree has many big limbs coming out of the trunk; I worry that there are too many. Some of the branches are now so long and so heavy that they bend in toward the house which means I need to clip them back. I'm not sure when they were planted but it was very likely when the house was built so that would mean they are 20 years old. How do I care for them (pruning etc) to ensure their health and nice shape? Do crepe myrtles have an expected life span?

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Comments (6)

tsmith2579
18 years ago
Once established, I don't think you can over-abuse crepe myrtles. Also, I don't think it matters when you prune them. If you are going to remove some of the larger trunks, decide which ones to remove. Mark them with a dot of spray paint to identify them later. Be sure to consider what needs to be removed and what not to remove. Try to keep the plants pleasing to the eye but remember they will quickly recover next spring. Take a chain saw or a bow saw and start cutting. You will have new shoots come out this summer and autumn which may get fried by cold weather this winter because they will be young and tender. Don't worry, they'll come back next spring.
Dave_from_the_Hills
18 years ago
I believe the expected lifespan for Crape Myrtles is very long. There are many really old old ones around older homes, especially in the Deep South. There are few trees around that can compete, in my opinion, with mature Natchez Crape Myrtles - great flower clusters and the bark is incredible.
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Natchez Crape myrtles develop a wonderful umbrella shape. And they naturally put out more trunks than other myrtles. The trunk density can be considered a form of screening. And the overarching canopy of the tree means that leaves will be hanging down to six or seven feet. The 'limbing down' method really does not look good. (I'm assuming you mean lopping-off large branches, for a 'layered' look) In fact, there's a name for it: Crape Murder. Here in Madison, being a Crape Murderer is equivalent to chewing gum with your mouth open. People will shun you. I suppose, considering that the trees are young, one could clip the outer tips of the branches, regularly, in the way that one shapes and maintains a hedge. That would be quite a chore, though. Me, I'd leave the Natchez totally alone, and let them develop their own architecture. And I'd underplant them with Magnolia Grandiflora, Glossy Viburnum, or a Clumping Bamboo (the kinds that don't send out runners). I wish you'd asked us earlier. There are other Crape Myrtles that assume the dimensions you're describing, all by themselves. Acoma looks like a miniature Natchez, except that it blooms more. On the more mature specimens I've seen, the leaves start at four or five feet - naturally. And I think Catawba would also grow within your desired dimensions. Again, I think that simply leaving Natchez alone, with no pruning at all, will allow it to develop the exaggerated umbrella shape which would yield maximum screening. However, aside from getting precisely the screening effect you'd envisioned, I'm guessing that you chose the right plant. A majestic tree like Natchez, if allowed to develop its own natural architecture, will give your property a scale and an aura that would be hard to match with another plant.
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Rhizo makes a good point. What it really comes down to is the look you want for your house. I personally like smaller, ornamental trees that frame the house: at corners, or sides, etc. I like BIG shade trees in fronts and backs of houses whose canopies will grow so high that they do not block the view of the house from the street. I wholeheartedly agree with his comment about naked and forlorn neighborhoods. Ultimately, the choice is yours. I have found it to be useless to go to garden centers with a specific variety of crape myrtle in mind. Except for the well known ones like Natchez, they never seem to have what I want. Almost all selections with the names of Indian Tribes are resistant to mildew. Read the tags, and choose one of suitable height, width, and color. Chances are you'll do just fine. I would caution about Byers Wonderful White. It's beautiful and tough, but the blooms are so huge that they can actually cause the limbs to break under their weight. It's nearly as large as Natchez, so I would choose Natchez if those were the only two whites available. Here is another idea for you to consider. You might want to think about a border of trees and/or shrubs and/or flowers, etc. that wraps itself around the edges of your property. Shape your lawn in a U or a semi-circle, for instance, and then leave maybe 15 feet or so of buffer around the edges, extending from the lawn edge to the property line or the street. Then plant that area and leave the lawn as a (small) pristine centerpiece. You remove obstacles from the view of your house. It's easier to mow your grass without trees scattered around it. The grass grows better with more sunlight, and the border gives you privacy and shelter. There is beauty that you can see from the street or from your interior windows. (Why plant all the pretty stuff for the passing cars to enjoy?) Think about it. There are lots of houses with two trees in the front yard. Why not try something a bit different and provide that wonderful neighborhood canopy too? You can just mulch the area for now and add plants as time and money becomes available.
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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
18 years ago
Actually, though these trees have a reputation for being tough, they should be cared for in a way that improves their chances for a long life.

I'm sorry that your trees have had a history of being topped. Though you can shape them to improve them, they will never quite have the beautiful 'bones' of a tree that hasn't been butchered.

The best time to prune these trees is in the dormant season when you can see what you are doing! It will be much easier to pick and choose which limbs need to be removed for aesthetics and safety. I see no reason to spray paint the limbs first.

Pruning is an art form and an acquired skill. If done improperly, you CAN ruin your tree. If done correctly, you will be able to improve the health and appearance of your trees a great deal. There is quite a bit of good information on the internet about making proper cuts, tools, etc. Plus, there are some good illustrated books out there.

I strongly believe that if a tree is too large to be pruned without a ladder, then a homeowner has no business with a chain saw in his hand. Most crape myrtle pruning can be done with a tree saw (large and small), and some good loppers. A good tree saw, by the way, cuts through branches like a knife through butter.

Do you happen to live anywhere near Huntsville? I'm going to conduct a (free) crape myrtle pruning class sometime this winter.
rick_cecconi_cox_net
12 years ago
Do you need to seal the large cuts?
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
12 years ago
Never put any sealer or paint over large (or small) pruning cuts.
sundog7
12 years ago
Mike Pender of Classic Gardens has some excellent information on his website about pruning crapes, and how to recover one from bad pruning.

Also, remember there are smaller and dwarf varieties of crapes if you need to put one in an area where a large one wouldn't work.

Here is a link that might be useful: Crape Murder

Pruning very large Natchez Crepe Myrtles

Comments (6)

tsmith2579

Dave_from_the_Hills

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