Should crepe myrtles be cut back every year in the fall?
Because crape myrtles are summer-blooming trees, producing flowers from new wood or current season stems, the proper time to prune is late winter or early spring before new growth. Do not prune crape myrtles in late summer or early fall because new shoots that grow may freeze if they fail to go fully dormant. The bloom times of crape myrtles vary, depending on a number of factors. Some crape myrtles come into bloom with large clusters of flowers appearing on the tips of new branches in May, while other varieties wait until July or later. Blooms continue into fall.The best time to plant Crape Myrtles is late fall or early spring. Planting in the fall allows the roots to establish themselves before winter dormancy, while early spring planting takes advantage of the upcoming growing season.Don’t plant Crape Myrtles in shade. Crape Myrtles perform their best in 6+ hours of blistering full sun per day. Even light shade at various times during the day will greatly reduce flowering, cause the tree to appear thin, and force it to reach for the sun, creating a leggy look.How fast does Lagerstroemia grow? Crape Myrtle is a moderately fast growing shrub, with a growth rate of 2-3 feet per year in favorable conditions. Young trees grow fast and have the capability of flowering within 2-3 years after planting.The common crape myrtle grows to a height of 15–25′ and a spread of 6–15′ at maturity. This shrub grows at a fast rate, with height increases of more than 24 per year. Full sun is the ideal condition for this shrub, meaning it should get at least 6 hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
Do crepe myrtles lose their leaves in winter?
Crepe myrtles are deciduous, meaning they lose their leaves in the winter. If you are wanting your tree for shade or privacy, make sure that you know your tree is without leaves for part of the year. While pruning a tree is always a good idea for long-term health, crepe murder happens when crepe myrtle trees are overpruned. Overpruning is described as cutting back of main branches or “topping”. Since crepe myrtle trees grow naturally into a pretty form, they don’t need to be trimmed too much.First of all, pruning crepe myrtles is optional; if the plant is in the correct place and can grow to its mature size, let it grow! If you need to prune your crepe myrtle tree or shrub, thinning branches to limb up the crepe myrtle is the correct method. Remove lower limbs that are thinner than a pencil diameter.Lifespan – When planted in full sun and fertile soil, Crepe Myrtles can live well beyond 50 years. In fact, dotted along the southeastern landscape, it is common to come across specimens over 100 years old.Luckily, Crepe Myrtles are non toxic, including to humans, dogs, and cats. For a very long time, people have used the berries of Crepe Myrtles for therapeutic purposes and have even used them in different meals.
What month do crepe myrtles get leaves?
Crape myrtles are heat loving trees and often they are one of the last trees to leaf out in spring. They require at least three days above 70ºF to wake and show bud break. This can be as early as April or as late as early May. Once warm weather arrives in earnest they will grow steadily. Crape myrtles planted in winter, spring, and fall should manage well with just one deep watering per week, but if you choose to plant in summer, you may need to add an extra weekly watering if there are heatwave or drought conditions.A complete general-purpose garden fertilizer — such as 8-8-8, 10-10-10, 12-4-8 or 16-4-8 — is ideal for crape myrtle. Avoid over-fertilization because it causes excess foliage growth and reduced flowering. It’s better to use too little than too much.Yes, Crape Myrtle can be overwatered. The plant may not bloom as much, and new foliage may die back if the plant is overwatered. Potted Crape Myrtle plants need more consistent watering because container-grown plants can dry out more quickly. Water potted Crape Myrtle when the top few inches of the soil are dry.Do not plant crape myrtle under the shade of large, overhanging trees. Crape myrtle needs around 6 hours of sunlight per day for best flowering. Additionally, too much shade can lead to issues like powdery mildew and other diseases.Damage – The crapemyrtle aphid is the only significant insect pest of crepe myrtles in the Southeast. Because it feeds on the lower surface of crepe myrtle foliage, it is inconspicuous except for the copious amounts of honeydew that it excretes.
Where is the best place to plant a crepe myrtle tree?
Choosing a Planting Location Crape Myrtle Trees need plenty of sun, so choose a bright sunny spot for your planting. They are idea for those hot, dry places where other plants do not thrive, so take advantage of that and use them in places that can be hard to fill. Plant large type crape myrtles a minimum of 6ft away from a structure (house, etc). To create a look where the canopies of the plants will grow together and provide shade, plant Medium Crape Myrtles 6′-10′ apart, and Standard (Tree) Crape Myrtles 8′-12′ apart.Caring For Young Crape Myrtle Cuttings Roots will begin to appear at 4-6 weeks. Once roots begin to grow from the bottom of the pot, all of the cuttings can be gently teased apart and repotted into their own one-gallon containers to grow on.Planting & Care. The Twilight Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica ‘Twilight’) is a fast growing tree gaining anywhere from 3-5 feet a year in growth.