skip to main content

Trees & Shrubs - Australia

crepe myrtle- how to shape not murder

21 years ago

I have two crepe myrtles, a pink sioux and a white one that i can't put a name to right now- anyway both are growing and flowering and they've only been in the ground less than a year- in that regard i'm happy- however the pink sioux is shaped in a 'Y' with one arm considerably longer than the other making it look very lopsided- will it naturally balance up or do i need to prune it. when i initially planted it i trimmed the long branch to half it's length hoping this would force growth on the other side of the tree, alas it didn't, in fact it just grew back longer and less arching- i want a natural look not the knuckled, murdered look, but not so unbalanced it looks like it will fall over, the trunk (single) at this stage is no thicker than my fingers, can i make it develop several trunks, will it do this itself or am i destined to have a single trunked tree................

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

wombat
21 years ago
I used to think that crepe myrtles were the most ugly tree imaginable - never really looked past the disfigured trunk at the flowers. But gardening trends change and what graceful trees they are if they are allowed to do their own thing!

Those knuckled knees came about by pruning off at the same point year after year (you see the same effect on those trees (robinia?) which are pruned to create a ball on a stick effect.

Pruning is a funny thing. With a few exceptions, it actually promotes growth and the harder one prunes, the more growth one can expect.

I would be inclined to prune your tree in the manner of a fruit tree - cut right back to within a few cms of the Y in autumn. This should promote branching of the two arms which you can then train from there by removing growth which goes in the wrong direction. You can rub off unwanted growth in the soft green stage, which doesn't leave any trace of pruning at all.

In subsequent pruning (which may be necessary to thicken up growth) lightly prune any more vigourous branches, and prune harder those which you want to promote.

Two or three years of pruning should be enough to develop a sturdy and balanced framework, if any further shaping is required. Once the framework has developed to your taste, trimming off the spent flower heads should be enough to promote bushy growth.
Sno38
21 years ago
I had the same problem with mine and was disappointed and cut it back to the trunk, with the intention of digging it out. However I was called away before digging it out and it grew into the nicest shaped tree you could hope for. That was about 3 years ago now and I now prune it back hard each year, but not so severley. I hope this helps. It now flowers more profusely also.
Sno
Related Discussions
A nieghbor's crepe myrtle
Q
Comments (48)
Coming to the party a little late but with a couple of comments. The crape in the first pic does not look like 'Catawba' ... which is much more violet colored. It looks more like 'Zuni' or possibly 'Twilight', both of which are a little lighter and a hair bluer. Also, the Lowe's picture (just before the last one posted) is not an accurate picture of 'Purple Magic.' These pictures that are created to sell plants based on color are frequently doctored -- just slightly -- so that the color appears to be more like what people are craving ... a true purple. It doesn't exist. 'Purple Magic' is almost indistinguishable from 'Catawba'. But it is one tiny shade more intense which makes it the most purple to date. When it first blooms. 'Purple Magic' is more like deep violet, but as the bloom fade they take on a bluish caste which "purpleizes" them a degree more. One feature of PM is that it is a looooooong blooming plant. So far, for me, it is the longEST blooming crape I've had. I don't dislike it at all. If I was naming -- in the interest of accuracy -- I'd call it 'Catawba Improved.' When they get a crape the color of Jacaranda, then they will have purple. D'bloomers (pic above) if a crape doesn't bloom well -- as they are a very free, easy blooming species -- it's almost always because they get too much shade or lack phosphorous in the fertilizer (which must be administered ongoing in the season PRIOR to bloom.) Don't fertilize it once next year expecting good results. Fertilize it this year (regularly) and expect results next year. it acts more like a dietary supplement than it does V i a g r a. This post was edited by Yardvaark on Sun, Aug 3, 14 at 21:30
...See More
crepe myrtle time
Q
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 More
Shaping Crepe Myrtles
Q
Comments (4)
Stephanie, unnamed crape myrtle varieties are a real challenge to turn into shapely trees. But the trick is to remove those suckers as soon as you see them, not letting them grow and sap energy from the rest of the plant. I am curious as to why you feel it necessary to remove the seed pods. I've always considered them an interesting winter feature and very ornamental. They will fall off on their own as new growth emerges in the spring. Just curious, that's all.
...See More
Crepe Murder & Cutting Propagation
Q
Comments (7)
Crepes seem pretty tolerant. I bet you could mow even a new transplant to the ground and have it resprout. Also, if you do root a cutting you may actually have a better start than a butchered tree. So if the tree fails you have only lost soo much.
...See More
Related Professionals
Cincinnati Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Ardmore Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Oklahoma City Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Fort Dodge Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · New Bedford Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Rutland Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Medford Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Wenatchee Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Manhattan Landscape Contractors · Tupelo Landscape Contractors · Worcester Landscape Contractors · Grand Rapids Architects & Building Designers · Fargo Architects & Building Designers · Portsmouth Architects & Building Designers · Coeur d'Alene Architects & Building Designers
VelvetRose2
21 years ago
Maples, Persimmons, liliac bushes, where can these be found for purchase in WA?????

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Crape Myrtle

By Becky Harris

With long-lasting blooms and gorgeous exfoliating bark, this ornamental tree brings bright color and a unique form to the landscape

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Pretty Trees for Patios, Paths and Other Tight Spots

Choose trees for their size, shape and rate of growth — or shape them to fit your space. Here's how to get started

GARDENING GUIDES 5 Best-Behaved Trees to Grace a Patio

Big enough for shade but small enough for easy care, these amiable trees mind their manners in a modest outdoor space

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING How to Make a Pond

By Mitchell Parker

You can make an outdoor fish paradise of your own, for less than you might think. But you'll need this expert design wisdom

GARDENING GUIDES Sweeten a Summer Garden With Pink Flowers

Whether you stir in hot pinks or sprinkle in some pastels, pink blooms can make your garden deliciously pretty

LANDSCAPE DESIGN The 7 Best Plant Types for Creating Privacy and How to Use Them

By Falon Mihalic

Follow these tips for using different kinds of plants as living privacy screens

FALL GARDENING 6 Trees You'll Fall For

By Therese Ciesinski

Don’t put down that spade! Autumn is the perfect time for planting these trees

CURB APPEAL Take Your Hell Strip to Heavenly Heights: 8 Design Ideas

By J. Peterson Garden Design

Trade weedy dirt and trash for a parking strip filled with wispy grasses, low-growing flowers and textural trees

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Landscaping Magic Fixes a Dangerous Sloped Yard

By Mitchell Parker

It had scary parking, a confusing entry and erosion issues. See how this steep California landscape gained safety, beauty and clarity

SPRING GARDENING Spring Fling: Visit a Garden in Full Glory

By Becky Harris

The Atlanta Botanical Garden is blooming three weeks ahead of schedule. Come take a peek with us

Sponsored