'crepe' or 'crape' myrtle?
phillip_in_alabama
17 years ago
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inkognito
17 years agoeddie1
17 years agoRelated Discussions
Crepe Myrtle (Crape Myrtle) with growth problems
Comments (2)I got this same thing on a sweet cherry tree and end up chopping it down, of course it is growing out of the side of the trunk, I decided I will let it live and see if I can treat it so the avoid that nasty soot. I noticed I have alot of lady bugs on my roses and they eat those suckers. My crapes last year got black spot. I guess crapes and roses are strongly related?? I am trying a garlic, water and milk mixture to fight the fungus and bugs (I am guessing they hate the taste of garlic since they never touch any of my garlic plants. When I spray the leaves of my roses it seems to deter the bugs not sure just yet just experimenting. japanesse beetles dont' seem to be a problem, one year they showed themselves but didn't last long and didn't do much damage to anything. some people just use a strong spray of the hose to get rid of the aphids they can't climb back up once they are knocked off. I have alot of acrage and birds galore I am sure they eat the bugs and that is why I seldom have a problem with them, yet. RR...See MoreHelp! My crepe (crape) myrtle tree wants to be a bush!
Comments (6)Reluctantartist, The correct spelling of crape myrtle is with an "a". As ltruett's link indicates, this may not be the best choice for the style of tree you want, and you might be better off replacing it with one that has a more naturally vertical form. You could however do a lot to encourage your 'Acoma' to grow into a tree form. Proper pruning and maybe even staking the plant could result in a form more like what you seek. If you leave the plant alone, like you are doing now, I don't think you can expect it to take on the form you want. You should probably make a decision to either replace it or work with it and manage its form....See MoreCrepe (Crape) Myrtle update?
Comments (10)I remember back in 85 when we came in August to look at homes to buy that the crepe myrtles were in full bloom. I think 85 was the beginning of a 3 year drought. Our cross the street neighbors myrtles now, that had been murdered in mid April(pre frost) still have barely a sprig of green on them. They're on a sloped bed in all-day sun while other neighbors who have myrtles on flat ground,not pruned are recovering nicely. I can tell you from experience that crapes are next to impossible to kill unless they are water deprived. I had one cut down and the stump ground 6-8" below ground level. It came back up 2 years later. Simply remarkable!...See Morecrepe myrtle time
Comments (108)bdeimel, if those were my trees, I'd most likely not cut anything just yet. I'd let them sprout growth wherever they were able and let that become my guide. Then later in the season when it's clear what's alive and what's dead, I'd begin removing the dead wood. Once you're down to just living wood, I'd then begin to prune for shape (much like you do any regular tree). There is an exception to cutting out the dead wood: If that wood is helping the new growth to "stand" upright instead of flopping over, then I'd leave the dead wood in place until the new growth can hold itself up without help. So, in effect, the dead branches would serve as stakes, holding up the new growth. If the tree's shape would be permanently deformed in the end, you may want to cut the entire tree back to the ground and start it over. It's a little late in the year to do that now so I'd probably wait until next year. Plus, by then, you should have a better idea of what the tree will look like with the new growth and then can make a more informed decision on whether to keep it that way or cut it down and restart it....See MoreTonyfromOz
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