Crape myrtle size for barrel

[Harri85274]

I have this 15 year old crape myrtle that has been blooming year after year. Its height goes up to 20'. Last year I moved it into the center of the yard, and it took the move very well. I noticed that where I had it moved from, it left me about 7 little 'babies'. some larger than others. i know they are sprouts or suckers I think some people call them of the parent. I removed them and planted them into various size pots. I would like to curtail one of them to about 5'. Could this be done with a variety that can go as high as 20'?

[B & J]

Yes, they can be kept at that height by excessive pruning, but you won't have balanced looking plants. Why chop a tree crape variety into something it's not supposed to be when excellent new, disease resistant dwarf varieties are available that will never grow beyond 5'?

John

[gregpresley]

[Harri85274]

Why chop a tree crape variety into something it's not supposed to be when excellent new, disease resistant dwarf varieties are available that will never grow beyond 5'?

John>>>

I did just that from a company that suppose to be the originator of such shrubs and trees in Florida. i went for their 6 dwarfs for $59 in the peak of summer, and each one has died on me in the span of a couple of months, and these were suppose to be hardy type. Thats why i was leaning towards my 20 footer that has proven to be not only hardy but reliable all these 15 years. i would love to try again one of those dwarfs variety, but not knowing where they were actually germinated...makes me kind of leery, particularly if another nursery buys them from that same company that I had bad dealings with in the past.

[B & J]

Did you take the dead crapes back to the dealer for refund or replacement? There should have been a replacement guarantee. BTW, you didn't mention where you live or your zone, but I assume you live in Florida.

I live in zone 7 and picked up four dwarves in gallon pots at an end of the season sale in mid-August for $10.00. The holes were hard to dig even after watering, but I finally got them planted. I mulched and watered a couple times a week through October whenever there was no rain for a week. I did the same thing the following year. Last year they were about three feet tall and bloomed with no special care. I attended a lecture on crapes earlier this week given by a grower and hybridizer at an experimental station who stated that summer planting was better than either spring or fall planting.

John

[Harri85274]

Did you take the dead crapes back to the dealer for refund or replacement? There should have been a replacement guarantee. BTW, you didn't mention where you live or your zone, but I assume you live in Florida.

Yes i did and those that they replaced died on me too. I know, your probably thinking 'this guy doesn't know what hes doing'. But I've been known as the green thumb type and could mention a lot of other plants that are thriving...just bad luck, or bad product? I live in zone 6 and crape myrtles are all over the area and the local bontanical garden...but i suspect that those were not of the dwarf variety that we're discussing here.