Pruning Crepe Myrtles

[Cindy]

I was just wondering when to puine my crepes. This is the first time they have bloomed since being planted last year and I want to get more profuse blooms next year.

TIA

Cindy

[Betsy]

I don't think that pruning has any effect on blooming at all! Yours are just young.

Prune to the tree you want, i.e. cut out whole branches until you have a single stem, or a multi stem tree, or just leave it alone. Crape myrtles are just about foolproof!

BTW, don't even think about shaping it by "shearing" or topping. That indeed will affect blooming--adversely.

[Roy]

Contrary to what everyone else has said, and to which I do agree with, around in my area (south central Alabama) folks prune crepes any time of the year and it never sets them back or phases them in the least. They are a very hardy tree in this area. Seen em get mowed down by grass cutters cutting the right of ways on the main streets intown, run over, and a whole host of other things, and they always come right back. Visit my website:

expressed are those of my wife, I had no input whatsoever. Remove "nospam" from email addy.

[Frogleg]

Prune during the dormant season (Jan/Feb in the US) before new growth has begun. However, flowers form on *all* new growth, so pruning really isn't necessary except to shape the tree/shrub or to remove crossing interior branches which are rubbing.

[Cindy]

So I take it that pruning would actually help with the profileration of new blooms?

Cindy

[John T. Jarrett]

No, just makes a more compact bush instead of letting it grow out into a 20-trunked 25 foot tall and 25 foot around tree over a many year period.

John

[Frogleg]

It sounds as if you are becomming interested in crape murder. Crape Myrtles flower on new growth. Normally, each branch puts out new growth each year, and hence there are plenty of blooms. If you prune, the cut places may put out more than one new twig, and thus, more blooms. However, after a few years of this, the places that have been repeatedly cut will form ugly callouses and look like the very devil.

If you prune, prune for the shape and health of the tree. A happy Crape Myrtle will be covered in blossoms for months without trying to 'force' more bloom. I just checked some photo files that show trees on my street in profuse bloom on July 1st. I'll post a pic of a couple that I just went out and shot in alt.binaries.pictures.gardens. These are no-prune trees.