What I did this year was remove the lowest limbs. I did not do this for the bloom, I just like the look of the multiple trunks. The bark of a Crape is part of the attraction (color and bark naturally exfoliates). I would give the tree some time. I don't know if it's patience, I just have so many gardening interests that any particular tree or shrub might sulk for a few years w.o. me even noticing. Trees and shrubs are not said to be fully established for up to three years after planting! So too, It might be a soil thing. I did feed mine once in the season as it was pushing new growth, otherwise I do nothing special for them. Make sure you clear the weeds over the drop line and do mulch. (Summers here are usually wet enough to eliminate the need for any watering.) Boy oh boy, do the honeybees love their blossoms!

They are not the cheapest nursery around but they carry Crape myrtle. Some nurseries may be able to special order for you. Here's a Crape myrtle on Saltspring Island by a building. May was too early for it to flower. It's more of a mid to late summer blossomer. Maybe Ray at Tropic.ca in Delta (BC) can help you if you check his site and e-mail him. He can ship to you. Good luck Here is a link that might be useful:

Have they budded out yet? I'm not in your zone, are you past your last average freeze date yet? Do crepe myrtles usually freeze to the ground in your area? Ours lose their leaves but most everything comes back to life a little later in the spring. This post was edited by melvalena on Wed, Apr 9, 14 at 9:39

Hi - I guess this discussion is still open to futher discuccsions? If so, I would like to say that for the past 2 years I did not know what was the matter with my white CM. I have 2 that where 1 foot tall when I planted them 16/17 years ago. I got them at home depot in South Alington as that is where I live. I read about home cures and they did not work. So I resorted to heavy duty sprays that worked for a while but the mist that fell on other scrubs killed them as well.. So I plunder on. After winter was over, and the first good day last Febuary, I got out the saw and cut my White CM back so far I hurt me to look at what I had did. I when to Home Depot and spoke to the a lady gardner as waus advised to use Bayer on everything incuding my Roses. Thus I have done. Roses are good now (had to cut back the climing one) and the CM are starting to push out the leaves and small branches. I walk out and inspect them almost every day since Febuary as well as the Roses and also my burr oak in the back yard as well as the two rose of sharons that have not bloomed once since I have had them, now 4 years, as the bug eat the new leave and the buds. I think now I have gone thru 2 bottles of Bayer. Only problem I have now it some little bug is eating new leaves on the rose brush's again, stripped them down to the vains and the branchs, I sprayed again last week before all the rain, and now I'm getting new leaves again. I'm new to all of this so the bug or scale on the cm seems like it kills every thing. Two familys on our neighborhood have cut down ther tall CM and did not treat them.. 2 others have cut down 15' foot tall trees in their yards. I'n not cutting down totaly if I can help it. Thanks you all for posting here. I had forgotten about this web site until tonight when I had to request help to log on agian. ....reb