How (and Why) to Prune Your Crepe Myrtle Trees
The “Classic Crepe Myrtle”
You might have a single purple tree or multiple light pink trees lining a fence. No matter how many crepe myrtles you have, you want them to look good and be healthy. If you always ask yourself every year – when should I trim my crepe myrtles? - then we have your answer.
February is the ideal time to prune your beautiful crepe myrtles while they are dormant. You’ve probably seen many crepe myrtles that have been severely cut back. That’s called “crepe murder”. “Crepe murder” is over-pruning or hacking them back so far that it becomes damaged or misshapen. Southern Living says, “Severe pruning or topping of crape myrtles removes strong, viable limbs and encourages the growth of weak and flimsy shoots that often aren’t strong enough to support the blooms come spring and summer.”
The “Why” – You want to prune your crepe myrtle to maintain its natural sculptural form, produce strong branches that hold flowers upright, and open up its center to reveal the smooth, multi-toned bark that forms on mature trunks and branches.
What You Need To Get Started
Hand pruners for branches less than ½-inch thick
Loppers for branches ½- to 1-1/2-inches thick
Pole pruner for high branches
Ladder (be careful on slopes)
What to Prune
The general rule of thumb is to establish which branches or trunks you want to be the main ones and then work on trimming everything else. Be sure to trim at an angle.
Branches: Remove dead, diseased, or crossing branches. Also remove branches that grow inward or toward the center of the tree.
Suckers: Remove small sprouts that grow around the base of the tree.
Seedheads: Remove if desired for appearance, but it's not necessary.
Side branches: Remove side branches that grow from the main trunk up to a height of at least 4 feet.
How to Prune
Cut back to a larger branch, trunk, or bud.
Avoid leaving stubs.
Thin branches to limb up the tree.
Maintain good air circulation.
Remember: You can always go back and cut more, but you can’t undo. So, start slow.
Best Practices in Crepe Myrtle Tree Trimming
Tips
Prune to a tree form.
Don't severely cut back crepe myrtles in late fall and winter.
Don't over prune your crepe myrtle.
If you've over pruned in past years, then only lightly prune this year to let it recover.
Crepe myrtles are very resilient trees, so they’re able to withstand most everything we do to them. If you’ve over pruned in the past, then you can lightly prune this year to let it recover and grow. Ultimately, pruning crepe myrtles all depends on what your preference is. But – try to avoid “crepe murder”.
For more information, check out:
Southern Living: October 25, 2024
https://www.southernliving.com/how-to-prune-a-crepe-myrtle-6827552
