When to Prune a Crepe Myrtle
Crepe Myrtle Pruning
One of the most important things to consider when you design your garden and plant a Crepe Myrtle is the full size it will grow to. You will want to make sure it can spread and grow in height without impeding any wires, house gutters or even other trees. Crepe Myrtles are very hardy and do particularly well in the Southeast United States. There is a large variety to choose from but Crepe Myrtle pruning is the same for all.
When is the best time to prune a Crepe Myrtle?
After the first frost when the tree is fully dormant. Pruning too early can actually kill or severely damage the tree; pruning forces new growth which will prevent the tree from becoming dormant. With a severe freeze the tree can be killed if pruned too early.
How to prune a Crepe Myrtle?
To be honest a Crepe Myrtle does well without pruning. If you must, do not prune it back to the main branch as this will not allow the tree to grow to its natural form. When pruning a good rule of thumb is to only prune a branch that is at least the width of a finger. Since Crepe Myrtle only bloom on new growth pruning the old wood is a sure fire way to encourage new growth and flowers. With this type of tree it’s always best to leave Crepe Myrtle pruning to a professional. This will allows you to enjoy the beauty of the tree year after year.
