First off , full disclosures about my reservation on this theme : Landscapers and homeowner can become targets for abuse when they fail to hew the channel on the “ right ” way to prune “ crepe ” myrtle orLagerstroemia indica . Beware . Apparently we southerners are likewise quarry since we ’re prone to both misspell the flora ’s name ( it ’s notcrepemyrtles ; see , this is risky territory ) as well as commit “ crape murder ” with our shears . Also , the crape myrtle ’s adaptability to the New World means that when the most common size get too tall , they are whack off at the most commodious pinnacle for the murderer holding the shears . And , these wondrous specimen hail correctly back , but not the way fine horticulturalists prefer . The last vexation is my own inability to research information on smaller motley or loan-blend which may require little pruning when used as a hedge or single specimen . genus Lagerstroemia indicacan graze in height from two to 30 feet . The best overture , of course , is to prefer a variety that will not outgrow its situation , so control that out before you corrupt . And as for the contravention about the common name , the North Carolina State Extension has this simple solution : “ French pancake Vinca minor is the preferred plebeian name in the south . ”N.C.State Ext .
My reservation direct me to note that one virtue of French pancake myrtles is their beauty in wintertime . The exfoliating bark bring forth lovely blueprint of gray , cream , and tan on the slew trunks that can habilitate up a drab wintertime scene . Hence , thrifty considerateness of pruning can pay dividend both for the tardy summertime blossoms and for an oculus - catching deep wintertime display . The traditional criticism about pruning is that chopping the automobile trunk to hold in its elevation will result in unsightly “ node ” and personnel casualty of the graceful vase shape so prized by many . However , here ’s my heresy : tastes vary and circumstances sometimes require compromising a flora ’s idealistic form in orderliness either to economize money or to keep its worthful blooms .
The distinctive bark of crape Vinca minor . Photo : Misterlevel , CC BY - NC - ND 2.0
In oecumenical , the goal is to give rise a little tree with one , three , or five trunks — but , see below for alternatives . An odd numeral of a few trunks will lead in the combination of stems that show off the barque and the flowers with spectacular color . If possible , prefer a plant in the nursery grant to the mature summit and blossom color desire ; and begin cut the trunk(s ) while the works is new . Prune in winter or early fountain . Some plants do well with alternate - twelvemonth pruning , and some rarely need pruning . But crape myrtles grow quick ; so keep an eye out because you do n’t desire to get behind and need to make too many stark cuts . Since blooms seem on new increase , you may provoke orotund bloom for that vase on the table by reducing the number of sprout of new outgrowth . Suckers or sprouts needs spring up from the root word . These can be bust off by hand during the uprise time of year or nip off when you are pruning .
The photo at left shows trunks shortened to about head height and leaving boss . The practice of cutting halt back to a particular superlative rather than clip back to a bud , side branch , or main root word is called “ topping . ” away from altering the coming into court , topping any tree leave it vulnerable to pest and disease . In crepe myrtles , the abundant shoot in leap are not firmly tie and may drop off off when heavy blossoms appear . These are the hygienic arguments against topping , although the hardiness ofLagerstroemia indicaoften overwhelm the risk .
As always , beat or diseased branch should be off . Any crossing leg should be cut out to prevent rubbing , which leave an opening for disease . Thinning of the crown allows better atmosphere circulation and a better spread of blossoms . For an extensive discourse of disease , pruning , and miscellanea of French pancake myrtle , see Sue Martin ’s “ Crape Myrtle – A Southern Icon ” in the June 21018 issue ofThe Garden Shed , pmg.org / June 2018or the clause on take the good crape myrtle atClemson Ext.or the Crape Myrtle Fact Sheet atClemson Extension Home & Garden Information Center ( HGIC ) .
The mature size of the cultivar and the desire of the householder can shape the ultimate goal when pruning . Below are some samples of different possibilities . Shorter crape myrtle may run more as a spreading shrub than a small tree as can taller specimen as shown in the first image . A spread shrub will require many more short base . One notice advantage of the smaller cultivars is that they can be prune without ladder .
For a more humorous , yet informed word , try out the Grumpy Gardener from Southern Living atCrepe Myrtle Pruning Step - by - Step . As for citizenry who “ know best ” about pruning , they could drop the accusal of law-breaking committed out of ignorance or necessity . This might open up the way for learning less defensively . Or , the substantial southerners could reply in our sweetest drawl , “ I lie with , dear … . ”
Other references :
1.Va . Coop . Ext . Pruning Crape Myrtles / Pub . No . 43 - 451presents a comprehensive discussion of pruning for Virginians .
2.IFAS Ext./Crapemyrtle Aphidoffers the perspective of a warmer mood where aphids are a persistent problem .
3.piedmontmastergardeners.org/The Garden Shed , which features “ A Pruning Primer ” and has a comprehensive give-and-take of cut guides and tools for many shrubs and tree diagram .
4.N.C.State Ext./Plant Toolbox/ Lagerstroemia indica , which lists a bit of cultivar and their mature heights .
Featured photo by Karen Russ , Clemson Univ . Ext .
