Crape myrtles are popular in our region of the mid to lower South and rightfully so. Unlike the in vogue nature of plants such as Bradford pear and Leyland cypress, crape myrtles actually have positive ornamental characteristics that far outweigh any negatives associated with this Southern horticultural heavyweight. Among the characteristics that have many wanting at least one crape myrtle in their yard are the distinctively showy blooms, the exfoliating bark that ultimately reveal an often colorful muscular trunk, and the superb fall foliage that can range from delicate yellows to intense reds. When it comes to negatives, the crepe myrtle itself can usually be held without blame. Many times, it is the owner of the crape myrtle that has committed the no-no, and so, without delay, here is my list of the Top Ten Crape Myrtle No-No's:
PHOTO: Nachez crape myrtle - possibly the most used and well-known of all crape myrtle varieties.
10. Selecting a plant that requires massive pruning to fit into it's space - Today's crape myrtle is much different than those that our parents enjoyed. We have a multitude of varieties available to us with enhanced cold tolerance, improved insect and disease resistance, and most importantly, we have crape myrtle varieties that, at maturity, grow as small as one foot tall, to giants that can reach 40' tall. With all these choices, it is upon the designer/installer to chose the appropriate plant. For instance, if you have a space where you want a white crape myrtle that grows to about 10' tall, then you should be looking for a semi-dwarf variety. Named crape myrtles usually are tagged with information that tells you how large they are going to grow or you can do a little research online and find out what varieties fit the parameters you've set up. When looking for a white crape myrtle that grows 10' tall at maturity, you don't want to buy a Nachez, for instance. Nachez crape myrtles will grow over 30' tall and will quickly become too large for your space. The better choice would be one of the white semi-dwarf crape myrtles, like Acoma.
9. Buying a plant labeled red or white or pink or purple - I've seen this from time to time. A crape myrtle simply tagged, "pink". This is a sure sign that you are probably not purchasing an improved variety and it is your guess as well as anyone else's as to how large it's going to grow. Your best bet is to steer clear and seek out a named variety.
8. Not buying a plant that is insect or disease resistant - Insect and disease has, in the past, been quite the bugaboo for crape myrtles. Aphids and powdery mildew were among the most bothersome agents of doom when it came to crape myrtle decline. Now, with improved varieties available to the public, you can pretty much purchase crape myrtles secure in the thought that they will grow well and you won't be treating them every growing season. Of course, the disclaimer is: nothing is absolute and sure as I talk about improved insect and disease resistance, there are isolated cases. Crape myrtle lists are out there that will signify certain varieties as being more hardy than others if you really want to cover all your bases.
PHOTO: Tuscarora crape myrtle - Here it is used as a street tree. Tuscarora crape myrtles will grow to 20' tall by 15' wide and have huge flower panicles (12" by 8") that are dark coral pink for about 70 days during the summer. Nachez, Tuscarora, Tonto, Souix and a score of other crape myrtles are from what is referred to as the Indian series. This series of crape myrtles is readily available at reputable nurseries and are highly recommended.
7. Improper spacing - When planting a grouping of crape myrtles, attention should be paid to spacing. One characteristic of crape myrtle that can be enjoyed is the graceful branching habit. A way to diminish this characteristic is to plant too closely together and planting too closely together inhibits air circulation (which is helpful in fending off disease) and makes the landscape appear cluttered. As I've mentioned, every crape myrtle has a mature height it will grow to, but they also have a range that they will grow to in width. For example, Acoma crape myrtles are usually listed as growing to about 8' - 10' high and to about 10' - 12' wide. So, if you are planting a grouping of three Acoma crape myrtles, you probably don't want to plant them closer than 10' or 12' apart.
6. Planting in too much shade - I've seen crepe myrtles growing in too much shade and they always look unhappy (yes, I occasionally think of plants as having human emotions :-)). Now, a crape myrtle will grow nicely in just a little shade, but know that the more shade it is subjected to, the fewer number of blooms you will have, the less foliage you will have during the growing season, and the more the crape myrtle will grow leaning toward the sunlight.
5. Not keeping your crape myrtles pruned up - As you will see when you get to rule No. 1, I am not a big fan of pruning crape myrtles. I do, however, encourage limbing up and the removal of dead and intersecting branches. The limbing up process does not apply so much to the more dwarf and shrub varieties of crape myrtle and much as they do to crape myrtles that you want to look like multi-trunk or single trunk trees. The limbing up procedure is where you take smaller limbs growing out from a main trunk and prune them off flush with the main trunk. These limbs are typically going to be located on the bottom 1/3 of the plant and, when removed, give the crape myrtle more of a tree-form appearance. Also, removing dead limbs and branches that intersect, rubbing against each other, is a way to improve the overall health and attractiveness of the crape myrtle.
4. Underplanting with too much plant - I most definitely encourage underplanting crape myrtles, especially when they are planted in natural areas or as part of a foundation planting. What you want to avoid, though, is underplanting with material that overwhelms the crepe myrtle. For example, large hollies or conifers don't look good under crape myrtles. Try using low growing plant material to plant under a crape myrtle. Ground covers and other low growing plants are great to plant under crape myrtles (Asiatic jasmine, English ivy, Autumn fern, dwarf azalea, etc.).
3. Clashing colors - When it comes to crape myrtles, too much of a good thing isn't necessarily good. Typically, in my landscape designs, I may have a singular crape myrtle plant or perhaps a grouping of several crape myrtles of one variety, but rarely do I incorporate multiple crape myrtle plantings of different varieties. If you have a grouping of red crape myrtles in your yard, for instance, and you insist on going with another grouping of a different color crepe myrtle, you might avoid using purple. More importantly, I would keep in mind the colors in your landscape in relation to when and where your crape myrtle is blooming. For instance, you may not want to plant summer blooming yellow hypericum under your Souix crape myrtle unless you enjoy the interplay between a medium pink and yellow. Opinions about colors in the landscape are of a subjective nature and all I can do is offer my opinion. I lean toward what I'd call "kinder combinations" with white being the great equalizer. I prefer using different shades of pink together or white with just about any other color. I'm OK with magenta combined with pink while I try to stay away from purples with red, lavenders and pinks with yellow, etc.
PHOTO: Chickasaw crape myrtle - a dwarf variety. This established plant from an Auburn University research center in about 2' tall.
2. Having a rogue crape myrtle - Seeing a planting of 4 pink crape myrtles and 1 purple one is more of a pet peeve for me than anything and it is often beyond the buyer's control. Sometimes plants simply get tagged incorrectly. With crape myrtles, when you are buying a group of one variety, take the time to examine each plant, even if they are tagged the same. You can sometimes spot a rogue plant by noticing that its habit of growth is different from the others or the leaves seem to be of different size or, if it is fall, that the fall color of one plant is different from the others. Still, if you realize that you've got a wrong colored crape myrtle....please! Replace it!!! (How's that for drama?).
1. Crape Murder - Who ever came up with that saying has given landscape professionals a catch phrase for the ages. And why not? When you top a crape myrtle, you are acknowledging that your crape myrtle was not properly selected or that you are a status quoer! (I just invented a word!!!). If you are a crape murderer, I still love you. I just don't want you within a mile of my yard if you have pruners on your body. :)
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Top Ten Crape Myrtle No-No's
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«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 343 of 343Absolutely love Crepe Myrtles. Probably my favorite shrub EVER. However they did not bloom this year. They did put on leaves but the flowers did not appear at all. Do i need to prune them? Did i possibly do something wrong? They are about 3 feet tall and did bloom the year before...
I love all Crepe Myrtles but I have to say the Watermelon Color is my favorite.
ackie,
It would help to know what variety of crape myrtle you have. It's possible that your three foot tall crape myrtle is still young and even though it bloomed last year, its youth may have been a factor in why it didn't bloom. Crape myrtles don't need to be pruned in order to bloom, so I wouldn't attribute the lack of blooming to that. It is possible that if the plant was pruned just before its scheduled bloom time, that it wouldn't bloom. Timing can be important when you are considering pruning flowering plants, especially woody flowering plants. There could also be some sort of nutrient imbalance at play here, also. Perhaps to much nitrogen is causing the plant to work on producing leaves instead of blooms. I'd wait it out. Your plant will begin to bloom every year as long as it was planted properly and in good sunlight and it doesn't get to dry. Good luck!
Hello Wildflowers,
Good ol' watermelon colored crape myrtle is hard to beat!
And Happy New Year!
Rob
Sir I live in middle Georgia and my home is on a corner lot of an older subdivision. I would like to plant a tree line to soften the view. I am not on the line side of the road so height isn't a problem. I have thought of planting Natchez for their long bloom time and they can be kept clean to a height of 6 ft for clearance. My question is on the spacing how far apart do I need to plant them?
Hi Middle Georgia,
Sorry for the delay getting back to you. I would probably say 10' is a minimum spacing for Natchez. Using that spacing would likely result in your plants touching within 5 years or so. You could space these plants as much as 20' and you'd be doing a good job of softening the view from your home, but at the same time preserving the individuality of the trees. I'd probably consider, if it were me, a spacing of between 15' and 18'. Natchez crape myrtles will easily grow 25' wide. My recommendations are based on the presumption that you will not be topping your plants. Good luck!
Aloha! We live on north shore Maui, and while my husband is from here, I could not move here without being able to grow some of my favorites. Especially crapes! Well, they grow wonderfully! Even with our almost constant wind and 186" of rain each year. We have a long concrete driveway that is lined with eucalyptus and we are currently removing. I want to replace with Natchez. My questions are: I will remove all the "debris" from root grinding, and replace with organic soil?? How far from the driveway should I plant so I don't damage the concrete? I am planning on planting about 20' apart as everything grows bigger here. Sound about right? Finally, to save money, I would like to buy a couple online, but use cuttings for the rest (it's 1/4 mile drive). I have cut and propagated crapes in the past, so just let the single cutting take off but how to prune for a strong tree? A lot to ask, but no crape experts here. Much MUCH Mahalo for your time and energy!
Aloha Maui!
Sounds like an ambitious plan, but very doable.
I would consider placing your Natchez crape myrtles no less than 8' from your drive. You might also consider how messy crape myrtles are when they shed their seed pods. You could place the trees 15' away from the drive and most of those pods would fall to the ground instead of on your drive.
I agree with you on removing the ground stumps from the eucalyptus trees and then adding soil.
As far as your cuttings go, you probably will want to decide whether you are going to have multi-trunk plants or single trunk. In the case of multi-trunk, just stick 3 to 5 cuttings per location. In either case, try to let your cuttings develop a strong leader for at least a good 5'+...you really don't want your branches forked close to the ground.
I like the spacing of 20', as well.
I hope this helps. Good luck with your endeavor!
Hello!
I just bought 4 tuscarora's that look like two little twigs 2-3 ft tall. (Yes they have leaves) 2 pink and two white. How long will they take to grow and bloom?
Tuscarora is a large growing crape myrtle that has pink blossoms. The best situation for them in the landscape is in full sun and growing in zones 6 through 9. It is also important that they are planted at the proper depth and in good shape at the time of planting. Proper watering is also a consideration. Your plants should grow quickly...as much as 2 or 3 feet a year. I'm not sure you'll get blooms this year, but you could...next year is more likely. Good luck!
Hi, I live in Long Island, NY and have a small Crape Myrtle Tree. It was getting tight where I planted it a few years ago. I decided to move it in early April 2015. I had to cut some of the roots as they were running across the garden. I did the best I could without disrupting the other plants. Well, its Spring and the plant is not responding. I am not sure it it is dormant or dead. There are some prempy buds but they have been there for weeks. Help!!!
Hi Marie,
Your plant may be late to respond with new foliage if you cut it back when you moved it. I'd scratch the bark to see if there is some green there. Green under the bark could mean that the plant still has a shot at surviving. My concern is that you may not have gotten enough root system when you did the transplant. Cutting back to the ground could be the only way to have a shot at success if that was the case. Good luck to you!
Hi Marie,
Your comment that ivy is "evil" is valid if the ground cover is left unchecked. It can grow into trees and kill them, yes, and for that reason, I would not allow it to do that. I'd offer mondo grass as an alternate ground cover to use under your crape myrtle trees. :-)
You had me until you recommended English Ivy as an option for planting under crepe myrtles. Are you serious? English Ivy is invasive and kills trees. English Ivy is evil. ;-) Other than that, thank you for these tips on growing crepe myrtles.
I pruned my tree in Atlanta a week ago (April 25), which is about 2 months late for Atlanta. The pruning was severe because 2/3 was removed and only one tiny branch with leaves remains. (It looks like Charlie Brown's Christmas Tree.) I cut it back to 18" above the last pruning that it received about 4 years ago -- I'm trying to create a natural tree form. No new growth has shown after 1 week and I was concerned that maybe I hurt it, but after reading your suggestions it sounds like I might still be within the 'Late Spring - Early Summer' timeframe. Time will tell. Thanks.
I apologize if my comment regarding English Ivy sounded harsh. I was joking, but that may not have come across very well without seeing my facial expressions in person. This is a great blog post on crape myrtles that you put together and I appreciate the information it contains.
Update on my crepe myrtle (that was severely pruned 2 months late and had not budded out after 1 week): Tiny red buds started appearing 13 days after pruning. They are on every branch including the trunk. So I didn't kill it. Apparently these trees really are very forgiving.
No worries! Some of my dearest friends have been victimized by the wrath of unchecked English Ivy. Glad to hear that you've got leaves emerging! Your blooms should come, as well, but will also be a few weeks late. Happy gardening!
Good morning,
I love your site and I'm about to purchase my first crape myrtle. Do crape myrtles reach their normal mature size when planted in the north - zone 8 or 7?
Elaine
Great question!
I can go by my observations traveling throughout Alabama and the Southeast. For example, I see crape myrtles and azaleas and many other plants thriving and growing larger in Mobile than they do in Birmingham. I'm convinced that has to do with the warmer climate and longer growing season. Of course, that is only going to be true for plants that thrive in warmer climates, like crape myrtle and some types of azaleas (Indica azaleas, as an example). I think the opposite might be true for dogwoods, for example, that prefer a little cooler temps than Mobile would offer. Zone 8 or 7 typically would be fine for just about all crape myrtle varieties, so don't shy away from planting them....maybe if you are in the far Northern range of zone 7 I would pay attention to the hardiness ratings of specific crape myrtle varieties. Good luck!
Hello,
I wanted to see if you could help me decide on a Natchez myrtle. We recently had to cut down our 15 year oak tree that was 15ft away from the front house and sitting on top of our sewer pipe. The house looks bare without any trees. Would it be Ok if I planted a Natchez 15ft away from house, 6ft away from sewer pipe, and 6ft away from side walk with sprinklers?
Thank you for your help.
Hi Rose,
I think the spacing you are talking about is a little tight but doable. Nachez crape myrtles can grow 30' x 30' so you would have a nice canopy to walk under. All of this predicated on you not "murdering" (topping) your crape myrtles. There are other white crape myrtles to consider that don't grow so large if you are open to using something other than Natchez (Acoma, Townhouse). And, your choices are really expanded if you aren't tied to using white flowering varieties. Good luck!
Thank you for responding. Our yard is small and our neighbors homes are so close. I wanted a tree like but without effecting our pipes. To be safe with the underground pipes, should I look more into a 12ft or can I take my chances with a 20ft with the 6ft spacing? Thank you!
I live in Dallas, TX and I'm looking at putting a fire pit in my backyard. The paved surface would be about 15' in diameter and we would like to add some red crape myrtles around the perimeter of the fire pit. My wife is fond of the Dynamite and I'm inclined to agree wither her. The deep red is just beautiful. Anyway, I was curious how far apart they needed to be spaced and how far from the paved surface we should go and I guess more importantly, will they grow together over the fire pit? We can trim that back to prevent a fire hazard, but I was just wondering what I'm getting into before we start this endeavor.
Hi Rose,
Natchez is a very large growing crape myrtle, but that doesn't mean it is going to get into your pipes, necessarily. Choosing a smaller variety might not be a bad idea simply because it sounds like you don't have a very large area. Acoma is a nice, smaller growing white crape myrtle. You might also look into Tonto (Red) and Sioux (Pink).
Hello Dallas!
Dynamite crape myrtles are moderate, somewhat upright growers that get to 15' to 20' tall by 10' to 15' wide. I would plant no closer than 4' from the patio, with 5' to 6' + maybe being more optimum. The spacing between plants should be 8', with a 10' to 15' spacing giving the plants a little more separation. Keep in mind that the closer the crape myrtles are to your patio, the more of those pesky pods are going to be falling on your patio. Good luck to you!
Thanks for the response! You answered all my questions...and gave me pesky pod to think about. Have a great day!
Hi,
I'm hoping you can help me. We bought a house in Houston with a crape myrtle in the front very close to the house; actually it was placed in a spot between our front porch, our front window and the wall of the garage. So it's boxed in, only 4 feet around it on 3 sides. I have no idea what kind it is and was hoping it would stay short due to its location, but over the last year and a half its gotten quite large, hitting the house and extending over one of the roof lines. It's only 3, maybe 4 years old so I'm afraid, based on what I've learned in your post that it's just going to get bigger. Is it possible to train it to fit the space? I feel I know the answer is no, so is it best to move it?
Thanks in advance for any advice!
Hi Louisa,
Those are some close confines for a large growing, tree-like crape myrtle. That plant would probably be too large for that spot, even if you did train it. Based on what you're saying, I wouldn't be surprised if your crape myrtle eventually grew to 25'+ tall and have a spread of at least 12'-15' if it is an upright variety instead of a spreading variety.
Anyway, it is best to train a crape myrtle while it is very young (maintaining straight leaders, cutting away horizontal branches if you are going for a vertical look, tying your main trunks close together so as they grow they do not separate into a spreading habit, etc..just a few ways you can train a crape myrtle). Time is really kind of closing in on you. The longer you wait to dig out the crape myrtle, the more difficult that will become. I would consider waiting until you have cool days in Houston and the leaves of your tree have fallen off for the winter. I hope this is helpful. I have a fondness for Houston….it’s where I was born and spent the early years of my life. Good luck to you!
Hi ManFromEarth,
Amazing depth of comments and responses you have here! I hope I'm not repeating a question but here goes: I'm in process building a house near Palo Alto, CA - and there is one neighbor reasonably close that I would like to create some more privacy between us and them. For about a 30ft length, our houses are 15ft apart (side yards), 10ft on my side of the fence, and 5 ft on theirs. I would like to grow something that would be about 30 ft long (multiple plantings), 5-10ft in width, and 20ft tall. I would center it between the houses (~3ft from the fence), and would like something that you could sort of walk under (foliage and width starting at 5-6ft), and that could sort of flow over the fence a bit. I was thinking evergreen, but they seemed so dull. Is there a Crape myrtle that fits the bill? I understand that it would drop leaves in winter, which I think I'm OK with, since mostly the privacy is for when people are outside in their respective back yards during the warmer months. I saw some pictures of crape myrtles doing the sort of thing I would want, but I'm a little worried they are mostly too wide. Thanks in advance.
Nick
Hi Nicholas,
Thanks for the kind words.
So, trying to get to 20' tall and having 15' to allow for the spread of a canopy isn't too difficult. I'd say you are looking for a semi-dwarf, upright crape myrtle. Pink Velour, Catawba, Sioux are a few upright crape myrtle varieties that might fit that bill. I would suggest visiting an reputable nursery to see what they have in stock. Ask them what they'd recommend and then do a little research on your own if you want to be sure you are getting the best choice. Be sure to pick out plants that look like their trunks are more vertical rather than spread apart. You can also prune small branches, as your plants grow, that look like they might spread to far outside of the desired canopy. Lastly, remember that crepe myrtles are pretty messy trees (the pods); I noticed you said you'd be sharing this tree with a neighbor :-).Good luck and feel free to holler back.
I have 7 -30 ft +/- crepe myrtles. They have doubled in height and width over the past 7 years when we moved into the area. We are trying to maintain grass in the yard but we noticed last fall that the soil is like beach sand. Is it possible that the trees are using all of the nutrients in the soil? We are on the mid-Atlantic neat the coast.
Hello Mid-Atlantic Coast!
Could very well be that your sandy soil allows nutrients to leach through the root zone quicker than normal. So yes, you might have to compensate for that aspect of your growing environment. Basically, fertilizing more often would take care of that. I would suggest, though, that you consider sending a soil sample to your local cooperative extension service to know exactly what nutrients in what quantities are needed. In general, getting turf to do well under crape myrtles can be a bit of a challenge (at least, that's my experience in Alabama trying to get zoysia, bermuda, centipede, etc. to grow) because of the surface roots that crape myrtles (esp. large ones) have and then there is the shade; and the pods that settle between blades of grass and clutter up the yard. I don't know about cool season grasses so you may have some success there. I hope some of this helps and that I've answered your question. If not, please get back in touch. Good luck!
Hi there great article. Was wondering if black diamond crape myrtle is a good pick? I found a type that has very dark leaves and white bloom and plan on growing 2 in front of my house about 6 ft apart. They would be planted under a roof over hang but still should get plenty of sun. Plan on growing English ivy underneath as ground cover. Does this type grow very tall and am I planting them too closely? Also wondering if they will do well in my area of San Antonio Texas. Thanks!!
Hello,
The Black Diamond series of crape myrtle is considered a semi-dwarf, growing to about 8' - 10' tall and wide. Growing them 6 feet apart probably means that there canopies may be merging in a few years, which is fine if that is the look you are after. I'd go with a 10' spacing if you want the plants to stay separate from one another. They should love it in the great state of Texas! Good luck!
Hi! I came across this blog post in searching for information about planting a crepe myrtle in our front year. We are looking at the Acoma variety, to be planted on the corner of our front beds, about 5' from the corner of our home. We live in Columbia, SC (zone 7b), very hot and humid in the summers! (So it will reach its max size I feel sure.) Do you think this plan places the tree too close to our home? Is it likely to damage our foundation over time? Thanks so much!
Opps--edtorial error--in our front YARD, not year : )
Hello Columbia,
I would plant your Acoma a little further from the corner of your home than 5'. While sites like monrovia.com and others list Acoma as growing to 6'-7', I can assure you that it could possibly double that. I've got a photo of one Acoma that is 18' tall by 15' wide. 7' or 8' from your foundation might be a little more appropriate and will probably give a better look in the long run. Of course, if you simply don't have the ability to plant that far from your home, I think you'd be ok. I wouldn't anticipate that an Acoma root system would pose much of a threat to the integrity of your foundation. Good luck to you!
I am looking to plant a "shrub" around our raised deck and screened porch. Previously therebwere boxwoods there but they did not survive two bad winters in a row. I found something i liked in a local businesses landscaping. When I asked my local landscaper he said it was an acoma crape myrtle. I love the draping branches and long bloom season. But after doing research I am concerned that it may not actually be a crape myrtle. They are only about 3 to 4 feet in height. Which is exactly the height I am looking for. Can this be accurate and in fact an acoma and they have just been maintained and pruned that short? I would need 7 and thats a hefty investment if that is not in fact possible to keep them pruned in a shrub-like appearance. If you have any other suggestions for what I could possibly use I would apprectiate that too. Im not necessarily looking for a crape myrtle, i just really fell in love with the appearance of what i saw. I live in a zone 6. Thanks in advance for your advice!
We planted three tuscarora crape myrtle trees 3-1/2 years ago. They were about 6' tall when planted and are 8' tall now. I was expecting them to be faster growers. Could there be a problem? We are in zone 9 near Sacramento, CA.
Hello Zone 6,
I suppose it is possible that Acoma crape myrtle has been maintained at 4' to 5'. In fact, I had a commercial account once where the business owner wanted his Natchez crape myrtles maintained as a large shrub. Every March I would cut the plants back to about a foot from the ground and the plants would quickly send out a multitude of branched that would eventually produce flowers in the Summer. My other thought is that those crape myrtles you've seen may have suffered some cold damage and they have been cut back out of necessity. Either way, I think you could get away with using Acoma in your situation, but some pruning is likely to be involved as that variety of crape myrtle would like to grow to 10'-15' tall in zone 6. One plant I like that might work as an alternative would be butterfly bush. There are many varieties to choose from, giving you a wide array of color choices and mature sizes. This plant also has a very long flowering season. I hope this helps. Good luck!
Hi Sacramento,
I have seen crape myrtles struggle if they were planted in too much shade or if they were planted deeply. I would think, in normal conditions, that you'd get more than 2' of growth in 3+ years. Consider using a liquid root stimulator on those plants as well as a fertilizer for woody ornamental shrubs if the plants have good sunlight and have been planted properly. Also, if you prune some of the lower growth off the main trunks, you might encourage your plants to grow onward and upward at a faster pace. Good luck!!!
Hi, we are in the process of landscaping around our hardscape patio. We have a 20' semi circle grill/island area and would like to plant some crape myrtle trees in front of the island. The bed would be about 25- 30 ft. Long? We would like to plant 3 crape myrtles (preferably red or white) to form a canopy off the patio. I have 2 questions: 1- what crape myrtle would you recommend to get about 15' tall - but that the branches would start about 6' from the base of the tree- we would like to be able to see through the trees and not have them as privacy. And question 2- should we be concerned about the flowers staining the patio. I have read articles about them staining concrete and cArs.
Thanks, Toni
Hello Anonymous,
There has been a surge of new crape myrtle varieties in the last few years. It would be a good idea for you to contact a reputable, local nursery and ask them what varieties of crape myrtle they have that fit your requirements. I'd then research those varieties to be sure that what you've been told is correct. That being said, Burgundy Cotton (white) or Tonto (Red) might fit the bill. As far as staining goes, I've seen that happen; not so much with white flowering varieties, though. A bigger issue for me would be the pesky seed pods that litter driveway and patio surfaces...those can also leave stains, not to mention the necessary maintenance involved in removing them. Good luck on your journey!
I recently purchased 12 muskogee crape myrtles to plant along a fence line for privacy. I am unfamiliar with this species. Would like to plant 5-6' from fence at 20' spacing trunk to trunk. what is your recommended spacing for this tree so that they do not run completely together?
Hi...Muskogee is one of the larger growing crape myrtles, growing to as much as 30' tall with a similar spread in ideal conditions. Planting 5' to 6' away from a fence shouldn't present any problems. The plants will extend well beyond your fence line, but I'm assuming that isn't an issue. A 20' spacing from center to center should be enough for your plants to not run completely together. I'd say 20' would be a minimum, with going up to a 22' to 24' spacing being other options. You might consider the wider spacing if you are in zone 8 or 9. Overall, I think you are on the right track. You'll have beautiful plants if you don't top them, allowing them to become trees. Muskogee is a great plant with a very long bloom season. Good luck!
My neighbor has a crape myrtle with "Catawba" on the tag. It's planted in a shady area and when it began blooming a couple of weeks ago, the blooms were lavendar, but when the tree then developed sooty mold, she began treating it. I'm not sure what she's using but the blooms are now looking white. Very interesting! Two of my twilight crape myrtles also started developing the same problem and since I only planted them about nine months ago, I'm afraid the problem could damage the plants more than if they were bigger, stronger, and better established so I sprayed them aggressively with deltamethryn. I'm wondering if my blooms will be affected by the pesticide! I'm not sure if it's the chemical itself or if the stress of the reduced amount of sunlight her tree is getting has been making it difficult for the tree to bloom with its usual colorful blooms but I can attest to the fact that something can definitely change the color!
Hi Amy,
I did a little investigating and found that a horticulturist out of the University of Florida,,,a Dr. Knox, wrote a paper in which he mentions that crape myrtles planted in shade become less able to "access" the full potential of their flower pigmentation. I think this may become more of an issue for those crape myrtles with intense red or purple blooms. Dr. Know says that this phenomenon causes these blooms to look washed out or almost white. I doubt that the use of a pesticide would affect the color of your blooms, though. Good luck with your plants and thanks for stopping by!
Thanks for sharing all your insights!
I recently planted a Red Rocket crape in my yard in Maryland. I cut the suckers and am attempting to propagate them to plant more down the line. Assuming they root, can you advise how to pot them for a multi stemmed tree and also how to winterize them.
Sources vary widely on the mature size. Any insight on this? The book I consulted said 15 feet but I've seen up to 30' estimates.
Thanks for your help!
Hi Adam...You can stick them in whatever medium you are using, for now. A little later in the late Summer/early Fall, when they've developed some roots, you can move them to small pots (maybe 1 gallon size). Put 3 to 5 cuttings per pot about an inch apart. Avoid pruning the cuttings so they develop some nice, straight leaders. Over Winter, keep the pots protected from temps that get below 25 degrees F or so. Try not to water too much, but don't let the pots dry out. Next Spring, transplant the pots into your yard. I hope this helps...good luck!
I've planted 6 trees along a fence-line (alternating Dallas-Red and Seminoles). These are 4 foot starter plants. I like the look of single trunk trees and want to train them so. I know that Seminoles tend to be more bushy but I will attempt to train them as single trunk trees.
Am I too optimistic?
How much growth (height) can I expect over the next couple years?
In another part of my yard I have a grouping of 5 trees (planted by landscaper and simply labeled with a lavender band). These are 8 foot trees that I presume to be near maturity. All the trees get plenty sunlight. 4 have begun blooming (end of july), two have no blooms (and no pods! Any thoughts? I just treated with a liquid fertilizer.
Howdy,
Dallas may grow a little bit faster than Seminole, but both grow to be pretty large trees, approaching or in excess of 20'. You could see a foot or two of growth per year, initially. I would definitely try to train the plants into single trunks especially if you already have strong, straight central leaders on the plants. Just be relentless as crape myrtles love to send up unwanted strays at the base.
As for the the plants with lavender tags, that always draws suspicion for me. If they were true semi-dwarf crape myrtles, they would likely have tags that had the variety named on them. I'd ask your landscaper what variety they are. Otherwise, I'd assume they could just as easily be Muskogee which means you could have 25' trees on your hands one day. You should know if they are large growing by next Summer if they put on a foot or two of new growth. The other thing that makes me think they may be large growers is that larger growing crape myrtles might not bloom at 8' tall since they would be considered young. Regardless, I'd just be patient. If you have good sunlight and the plants appear to be healthy, they should bloom soon enough. Good luck.
Planted my new trees a week ago, then left out of town for 4 days. Was excited to get back to see how my new trees were doing. Pleased to see that there was already new growth on all the trees! Aghast, however to find that one tree was completely gone (along with all the mulch)! While it could have been a mischievous neighbors, I suspect it may be one of the frequent deer that we find in our backyard. I hope the remaining trees are safe. Any idea how to dissuade deer from my tender new trees?
Few tree trunks are more attractive than a healthy crape myrtle trunk. But occasionally I see crape myrtle trunks with spindly, spiny, dark gray colored trunks! How do I assure that my new trees grow with not only great color but with healthy muscular trunks?
Hello Anonymous,
There are products out there that you can use, both granular and liquid. I suggest you go to an online store and search for "deer repellent" and then research the various products you encounter. There is also the possibility of buying a little bit of metal fencing and creating a temporary barrier around your young plantings until they are old enough to withstand disturbances from your critters. Good luck
BTW, anonymous...are you sure your plants were disturbed by deer? Crape myrtle is usually not a target of deer. It could be something else. In any event, the deer repellent is likely effective against a variety of pests...although, maybe not the two legged kind :-)
Hi CMLover,
To be absolutely sure you are getting the prettiest of trunks, you should research the varieties of crape myrtles you are considering. A couple of sites I enjoy visiting are monrovia.com and also davesgarden.com. Both these sites have pretty reliable info on crape myrtles. The best, showy cinnamon trunks, though, come from the larger growing crape myrtles and the so called, "Indian hybrids", are known for their outstanding exfoliation. Natchez and Tuscarora are two crape myrtles with especially showy trunks. Even some semi-dwarf varieties like Tonto have attractive trunks, although, the smaller growing crape myrtles might take longer to develop.
I wish you the best of luck!
I'm confused about pruning blossoms! I understand that cutting blossoms stimulates more flower growth, but it seems to defeat the whole purpose of crape myrtles-enjoying the blossoms as they are on the tree! As I consider cutting back blossoms, the clusters seem to have a mixture of bright new blooms, and older spent blooms, and at times old dried pods are on the same cluster as green pods preparing to release its beauty! Help! What should I cut in order to have a bountiful and continuing flowering!?
Today or even a few weeks ago towards the beginning of August, you could notice some crape myrtles in full bloom, some that hadn't barely begun to bloom, and some that had finished completely. Your best bet to spur on new growth that will in turn produce a second set of blooms is with crape myrtles that finish blooming by late July/early August or before. It's not a guarantee that you'll get a second set, and to be frank, it's not something I try for very often, but I have had some success trying it. The technique really works best with smaller growing varieties mostly because the larger growing varieties would be somewhat impractical to prune off spent blooms. My goal wouldn't be to trim off every seed pod but to trim enough across the canopy to generate the new leaf growth that would hopefully, in turn, produce that second set of blooms.
Remember, the seed pods are green before turning brown and might resemble flower buds. I'm usually trying to cut just under the cluster of pods and not to far down the stem when I do try for a second go round.
Good luck!!!
Your advise is invaluable-wonderful! Thanks! Hope to be as knowledgeable as you when I grow up (in the Crape Myrtle world)!
Regarding that larcenous deer-he was falsely accused! The new trees were planted along a fence line where there was a brisk current of rain runoff which washed the tree, the planting soil, and the mulch clean out of the planting site! I later found the dead dried out tree 'down-stream' a day later! I've replaced the washed out tree and now using pine straw bales to deflect the occasional downpour!
So the green pods are spent-flowers and will not flower!?
Sorry, your post slipped past me! One way to know for sure is that if they are pods you will see each individual pod cupped on the bottom with a calyx which is the outer part of the old flower formed by the sepals which protected the petals. Also, pods tend to be hard and the crape myrtle flower buds are soft and succulent.
I'm going to try to propagate a crape myrtle from a cutting. I understand that it would be better to have tried this in the earlier summer or even spring. But I'm going to try now in mid September anyway. I have 4 cuttings of about 8 inches, removed all but the top 2-3 leaves, dipped the stems in hormone powder , then placed the cutting in an 8 inch put, deeply such that only those top 2-3 leaves are showing. I'll mist those exposed leaves daily. I'll try to keep the cuttings in the pots outside and keep the soil moist. I'll expect rooting in a couple months. Have I missed anything!?
One thing that I've read is putting the pot in a 'zip-lock bag'. Can't find one big enough for an 8 inch pot. Guess I could use a small plastic trash bag and tie it closed around the cutting stem. Any thoughts?
Sounds like you are on top of it! The plastic bag covering the pot will help to keep the cuttings moist. It's not a bad idea to poke a few holes in the bag or maybe remove the bag for 15 minutes a day to keep the cuttings from getting too moist. Also, hopefully your cuttings came from a crape myrtle that has been watered regularly. A turgid cutting is more likely to root than one that is not...I feel like I'm nitpicking, though....you're likely to have great success! I wish you well!!!
Hi, I have 7 Dynamite Crepes I planted along the side of my house. I planted them 5ft away from the side wall. Is that too far? Im concerned about how it will look if i end up with a bunch of space between them and the wall. the trees are only 3 gallon and maybe 3-4 ft high at the moment.
Hello Coach,
I think your spacing is fine. I certainly have seen Dynamite crape myrtle exceeding a 10' spread, so 5' from your house may mean that one day you might possibly have to prune a branch or two. Monrovia.com lists Dynamite as growing 15'-20' tall by 10'-15' wide. I have a feeling the Monrovia estimate may be a little short on the height and about right on the width. Dynamite does have a more upright, narrow growth habit. That being said, I have seen some of Monrovia's estimates fall extremely shy of actual growth, like on Acoma crape myrtle where they list it as a 7' by 7' plant (I have pictures of some that are approaching 20'x 20'...all of this to say, don't necessarily believe the growth rates you see on plant tags or the internet. While I think your 5' spacing will be fine, I could also say that 8' from the house would be OK, too, but I realize you have a defined area between the house and the sidewalk. You could always trim lateral branches on the outer portion of the plant flush with some of the larger, more vertical branches on your plant making your plants appear narrower. This pruning technique would more likely come into play a couple years down the road. Good luck with your plants!
Thank you. I have a pic but unfortunately i don't see a way to upload it. big help. Im thinking of planting azaleas underneath.
I've decided to attempt to propagate crape myrtles from hardwood. I don't know exactly the type that I plan to propagate. There are a line of crepes that have sentimental value to me. These trees are about 20 feet in height and with dark pink flowers. I've read that the grafts from the donor tree should be collected in November (I'm in Alabama). But, what if there are still green live leaves on the tree-can I still collect a graft from the tree that is not completely dormant?
Hello Anonymous,
Are you attempting to graft a cutting onto a root stock or are you looking to root some hardwood cuttings? Grafting crape myrtle cutting is probably not required since rooting crape myrtles is easily accomplished. Rooting crape myrtles is easier when done with soft wood cuttings or hardwood cutting that are taken in the Spring or Summer. I'd still give it a go this late into the season. Leave all but the one or two leaves at the tip of the stem. Good luck to you!
I have a young Dallas Red sapling that I put into the ground in a random location, because I purchased one more than I needed, this past summer. It has done well. It's about 4 feet in height. I now have decided where I'd like to put it. The sapling is now dropping its leaves. When is the best time to transplant the young tree? My thoughts are to transplant it now, or should I wait until after the last winter freeze (I'm in Georgia)? Also, please give me any other advise regarding transplanting.
Another question: regarding pruning of trees, I've heard alternately that the best time is now (late fall) once leaf drop has occurred and the tree will have a few months to recover between pruning and Spring growth, or wait until February/March because the unpruned tree will better weather the cold winter. Which do you suggest?
Hello Fellow Crape Myrtle Lover!
I’d probably wait until my crape myrtle had lost all its leaves and the daytime temps become more winter like. That being said, a 4’ crape myrtle can probably be moved this time of the year without issue. It is a good idea to try to dig up your plant with an intact root ball. Your root ball should not be too large or it will collapse under its own weight. I’m imagining a 10” to 14” root ball. Be sure to set the transplanted crape myrtle slightly raised when re-installing it.
Many people prune trees in the fall without issue. My inclination would be to wait until my tree was fully dormant (Jan/early Feb). On trees that could be susceptible to winter damage (crape myrtles, for example), I’d wait until March.
I hope this helps. Good luck to you and Happy Holidays!!!
I use crepe myrtle as firewood. It burns for quite a long time. I hope it doesn't create a lot of creosote or cause a toxic smoke.
Not that I'm aware of. I'd try to use seasoned wood to be on the safe side. I did a bit of research on the subject and found that crape myrtle wood is reasonably dense which might explain why it burns slowly. Larger pieces of crape myrtle seem to be somewhat coveted by woodworkers. Apparently the grain is unique. I use crape myrtle stems as canes,,,handy to have on a hike in the woods and they are surprisingly sturdy. Five or six years back I had to cut down a large multi-stem crape myrtle. I ended up with a nifty 3' tall plant stand. Picture a large crape myrtle from the ground to about 3' high and then invert the image. I leveled it, cleaned it up, let it dry out, and stained it...still have it in my kitchen, today. Hey, good luck to you and stay warm!
Is there a small flowering shrub that will do well on a slope under the canopy of Acoma Crape myrtles? I have two Acomas flanking brick steps going up a slope. The area faces West so it gets only about two hours of hot afternoon sun. I'd love to use drift roses but I'm afraid they wouldn't get enough sun. Other plants already on the sunny part of the slope include Frances Mason Abelias, Junipers, Loropetalum, and white Gauras. Is there a shrub that can survive on a slope in the shade most of the day and be able to survive two hours of hot afternoon sun?
Hi. I'm going to assume you are looking for low growing and evergreen. I have a few suggestions. One would be to look at some varieties of azalea. There are some Encore varieties that grow a little wider than they do tall. Also, Conversation Piece and Gwenda are two other azaleas I like a lot that might fit that bill. I believe they could handle the two hours of afternoon sun. I'm also fond of certain evergreen ferns for that kind of exposure. I've had success with Autumn fern in more sunlight than you are describing. You might also consider Holly fern if you are South of zone 7. Of course, their is also the possibility of using ground cover like Vinca minor, Asiatic jasmine, or even English ivy.
Great information here. Thank you.
I have a 400 foot long drive way where I'd like to have a row of Crape Myrtle all along the sides of the drive. I live on Long Island NY. What Crape Myrtle do you recommend for this landscape?
Thanks, Brian
Hello Long Island,
My advice would depend on what you envision. Are you imagining driving your vehicle under a canopy of foliage...perhaps the two rows of trees meeting. I'd consider large spreaders like Natchez (white) or Choctaw (Pink) in that scenario. Would you prefer a less agressive crape myrtle that is smaller growing and perhaps more upright. Then, I would consider something like Tonto (Red) or Pecos (pink). These varieties are all pretty cold hardy as well. There are plenty of choices. I'd narrow down the possibilities by deciding how large of a plant you want. Of course, I would suggest that having a planting like that for a 400' drive could be quite breathtaking, especially if you don't "murder" your plants. I'd try to pick out a variety that is rated zone 6, even though I think Long Island is zone 7. Good luck!
I am SO pleased to see the first tiniest green sign of life on two of the five hardwood propagates that I obtained and suck into gallon pots back in November! I keep them on the patio (and during periods of freezing temps I move into the garage). I'm in Georgia.
My plan is to keep them in the pots in an area that gets sun 40-50% of the day. I'm hoping the other 3 hardwood propagates begin to show foliage soon. I try to keep the potting soil damp (although during the winter there would be days that the soil dried quite a bit. After 3.5 months of thinking that maybe I had dead sticks stuck in dirt, I am thrilled! I guess it's what truly motivates gardeners!
Here's my question: when should I put the hardwood propagates into the ground where I hope to have mature trees in few years? My thought was to keep them in the pots with damp soil and much sunlight until "full foliage" (whatever "full" means), then put them in the ground (I plan to plant them in an area that gets sunlight about 60% of the day. Should I base the timing of transplanting on amount of foliage, the time of year (before the heat of summer, during the summer growing season, or after the heat of summer)?
Hello Crape Myrtle propagator!
Congrats on your success with cuttings. Having a good root system and getting them in the ground before it gets hot are going to be keys.. I'll sometimes move my rooted cuttings into 4" or 5" pots so I can pop them out of the container to actually see how the roots are growing. Ideally, you'd like to see that the roots are growing out to the edge of the small pot and that the root ball is being held together because of the network of roots. Remember not to plant the transfers too deeply when making the move to their final home. good luck!
Thanks for this great advice on transplanting my propagates! A few more questions:
The hardwoods I cut are about 7 inches long so I'm not sure what segment of the cuttings may have begun rooting, so a smaller pot may leave some higher roots exposed. How should I manage that?
I have a bit of trepidation about moving from the current pots if the rooting is very tender and may tear with manipulation of the cutting.
Once I do transplant to smaller pots, how do I stimulate root growth-sunlight-waterings-fertilizer? Per your advice, I 'd like to get the root system developed and get the cuttings in the ground within the next 2 months before the Georgia heat cranks up in June.
Good morning!
I would transplant your rooted cuttings into a small pot at the same depth as they are now in your rooting medium. If you don't have small pots tall enough to handle the length of the cutting, then I'd bump up to a slightly larger pot, realizing that it may take longer for the roots to extend out to the edge of the pot. I suppose you could situate your cutting slightly high so that it all fits in the pot, but only if you are exposing a minimal amount of the roots (10%?) to air.
Moving your cuttings to the pots isn't too big of a deal. I'd take a knife or trowel and gently work around the cutting to a depth of a few inches and then lift the cutting up. I know of propagators that aren't so careful, so I don't think you'll have issues with that aspect of the process.
You can check into a liquid root stimulator. These are typically sold at garden centers and big box stores. That would be a great way to encourage root growth. You could alternate using the root stimulator with a good woody plant fertilizer...something that, ideally, has micro-nutrients like iron in it. I think your plants will be able to handle full blazing sun, shortly. I might ease them into that situation over the next 3 or 4 weeks, but definitely give them some good early sunlight for starters. I'd water as needed..the smaller the pot, the soil mix you use, how well the pot drains, climate conditions, etc., all will have an impact on how much watering will be required. I don't water much this time of year because I don't need to. Picking up a few pots to see how heavy they are is one way I determine if watering is needed...that, and digging an inch or so into the soil to see. :-)
I have sapling choctaws, seminoles and red rockets, planted last year. How many years before I should expect them to reach mature size?
All three can grow to 20'. I'd guess, given ideal conditions, that you could expect one to one and a half feet of growth per year, at least initially. That would be under the best of conditions.
I pass by a street in my Alabama neighborhood lined with single trunk crepe myrtles that are about 20 feet tall. The flowers are pink. The trunk is fairly uniformly light tan 'muscular-looking' and is not particularly peeling. What is your guess as to the name of these crepe myrtle cultivers?
I'll take a wild, wild quess and say..........Potomac!
Aloha! I'm from North Shore a Maui, and I sent a post back in March of 2015, and two years later, we have taken down all our eucalyptus, ground out the stumps, imported soil and are ready to line 23 crape myrtles along the top part of our drive! I have been thinking Natchez variety the whole time, thinking it was the largest, and/or fast growing of the crapes to drive under story. But.... I thought before I push on, I should ask YOUR opinion on what you think would be the best, largest, and fastest growing. Color is not a priority... all crapes are perfect colors to me! Much mahalo for your time!
Renee'
Hello Renee',
I think Natchez is your best choice. The exfoliating bark and wonderfully colorful wood that is revealed is unmatched. Natchez is definitely one of the fastest and largest growing crape myrtle trees and has a beautiful spreading habit. Muskogee would be worthy of consideration, as well. It has light lavender flowers and exfoliating bark, but IMO the wood is not as impressive as it is on Natchez. Muskogee also has a nice broad habit. Tuscarora might not get as tall as Natchez or Muskogee, but you are still talking about a 20'+ plant and the growth habit being broad and spreading fits the situation you are presenting. Tuscarora has pink blooms and a nice, ornamental trunk just like Muskogee does. I wish you the best!
Rob
My neighbor put up a 50-foot privacy fence, which I am planning to use as my backdrop for Natchez. My questions are: how far away from the fence line should I plant them and what is the minimum spacing between the Natchez?
I am planning to plant rows of sunny knockouts in front of the trees (they are all single stemmed) and the rest will be planted with groundcover roses ( also yellow eventually).
Thanks in advance :)
I am so sorry I let this comment slip past me. Business is booming this year, in large part, thanks to the 2016 drought. Anyway, the distance from the fence is sort of dependent on how the tree is shaped and how are you going to manage it from a pruning standpoint. A single trunk or a multi trunk that doesn't have much of a spreading nature could be planted a little closer to the fence. Natchez will get close to 30' tall and could have a similar spread. I don't encourage chopping the tops off crape myrtles even though most people do it. Planting roses under a tree that will get 30' wide may doesn't seem like a good idea, unless you intend on doing heavy pruning after a few years. It is always a little tricky when you plant a small tree that is going to get so large and you want to under-plant it. Do you plant things that like the sunlight (roses, for example), realizing that the increased shade will negatively affect their performance down the road or do you plant things that might could handle lots of sunlight initially (some types of azaleas or Asiatic jasmine, for instance), but will probably like the shade they'll get down the road? Another thing to keep in mind is your neighbor's yard behind the fence. You may have 10' of branches hanging over the fence on their side, depending on how close to the fence you plant, and they would have every right to prune those branches free of their fence line. Again, problem solved if you intend on cropping the trees every year. I'd plant the trees a minimum of 5' from the fence line if you plan on yearly topping. My suggestion would be to plant the trees 12' to 15' from the fence if you are going to let them grow naturally. They are truly beautiful trees for all seasons when done this way. Spacing: I'd plant Natchez between 20' and 30' apart if you are going to let them grow and between 7' and 10' if you plan on putting them on the chopping block each Spring. One suggestion I should make is that you consider selecting a variety that doesn't get so tall. Burgundy Cotton, Delta Moonlight & Ebony and Ivory are a few semi-dwarf white crape myrtles that might work well for you and allow you to still go with your roses, long term. These types of crape myrtles I would space around 8 feet apart, 5 or 6 feet from the fence, no crape murder required! I wish you the best.
I have some second season saplings that I was pleased to find began producing some foliage a few weeks ago as one of the first signs of Spring here in Georgia. The foliage appeared so delicate but was on each of the 7 saplings. While the winter here has been relatively mild, right after the foliage first appeared, we had about three nights where the temp dropped below 32 (the day time temp was in the 40's. It seems those episodes of cold weather were too much for the young delicate leaves, they have now all (seemed to have) died 3 weeks ago! I'm trying to be patient and wait for signs of life with a second growth of new foliage-but none yet! Have my delicate plants truly died! My older crepe myrtles now have foliage-but none in the saplings. When i scratch the bark, I do see hints of green, none-the-less I'm worried.
This late freeze damage happened quite a bit this Spring due to an unseasonably warm Winter. I've seen this die back on young saplings and established plants alike. There is a very real danger of the damage being catastrophic, though not always. Some plants simply do not respond with new growth after the die back. But as I mentioned, it's not always the case, as I've seen crape myrtles and other plants that lost their early Spring push of foliage sending out a second push as recently as yesterday. I'm of the opinion that, if your initial push froze, you should prune of a bit of the tips to get into healthier wood and encourage new growth. I'm quite concerned about a beautiful Chinese fringe tree that I've had growing in a 30 gallon pot for about a year. It flushed out in early March and I was hoping it was one of those plants that seem to handle 28F, 29F degrees (I've seen spireas, forsythia, handle it). Unfortunately, it turned brown within a couple days. I could tell the wood was not a strong green so I nipped it back a tad. Now it is a waiting game to see what happens. I've got a good feeling about your crape myrtles.
I have two types of Crape Myrtle, both planted in my yard at the end of November, 2016. I live in middle Tennessee, thus am zone 7. My Acoma Crapes leafed out nicely and recently (mid June) developed lots of red flower buds. Japanese beetles are now all over them and I am concerned that they will destroy the flowers that are just starting to open. Would it damage any part of the trees to spray them with soapy water and would this drive the beetles away? Any special type of soap and at what ratio with the water?
I also have one Muskogee Crape that leafed out between the end of April and first week of May. It was about 14 feet tall when professionally planted last November, with a trunk about 3 inches in diameter. It was transplanted from its original home in the nursery of a local landscaping company where it was crowded. Compared to pictures of Muskogee Crapes, the leaves and branches on my tree seem a bit sparse. The leaves also seem to be lighter green than ones in pictures. The tree appears to have grown but there is no sign of anything that looks like flower buds. What are possible causes of sparse leaves and no flowers, and what can I do to help correct?
Also, my yard is in a community with an HOA that provides all lawn care (except for care of trees that are added by homeowner.) Thus, I do not control lawn weed and feed. I can have the soil tested and apply whatever the tree might need. My question is how best to protect the tree(s) from high nitrogen and weed killer sprayed on the lawn?
I am most grateful for any answers you may provide.
You could use an off the counter insecticidal soap. If I'm not mistaken, some of them contain other natural ingredients, like nicotine.
A 14' Muskogee is not an easy plant to transplant, especially if there wasn't a root pruning regimen prior to digging. I suspect the sparse leaves is because it's too much top and not enough bottom (roots). Unfortunately, my suggestion would be to top the plant, perhaps removing about 4' or 5'. It's not too late, and perhaps your new flush of growth will look better. Aside from that, I'd consider root stimulator. You can protect your trees from lawn chemicals by providing a generously sized mulch ring. Feel free to follow up. Good luck!
Should I trim my Natchez trees ?
When you say, "should you trim your Natchez trees", many variables come in to play. Have the trees been planted in an area where they can't grow to their natural size (25'+ wide and tall)? I wouldn't want to top any crape myrtle if I didn't have to and that is why it is important that they are planted in suitable locations, considering their eventual size. I do think it is fine to "limb up", clean up, and thin unwanted branches as long as it is done with proper technique. I hope this helps.
I have just transplanted a hardwood crepe myrtle propagate-I think successfully!
My reason for propagating is that where I used to live was a street lined with the most beautiful crepes ever! Those trees (that street) have such great sentimental value to me-I simply had to have those same trees lining the property of my new home, therefore, propagate them!
I read everything I could find online on blogs, and asking crepe myrtle specialists about propagation! And now I share what I have learned which is quite different from essentially everything I’ve read!
Here’s the gist of what you will find/hear: 2 primary ways of propagating: softwood and hardwood. Softwood is the ‘easiest’. Softwoods should be taken during active growing season, ideally June, hardwoods should be taken during dormant season, ideally November.
Here’s what I found to be true: propagating hardwoods during the growing season is by far the easiest! My success with softwoods has been less than 10%, my success with hardwoods obtained during dormancy has been about 50% (and took several months before foliage!). Quite by accident I’ve successfully propagated hardwoods obtained during the summer in about 7-10 days! The accident was that I obtained (in July) a branch (about ½ inch in diameter) such that I could get as many softwoods as possible. As I collected as many (20 or so) softwood stems (dipped in rooting hormone) and placed them in various containers, I was left with the hardwood branch that was a couple feet in length. Instead of discarding the (what I thought was useless) branch in the wooded area behind my house, I cut the hardwood into six-inch segments, I dipped the segments in rooting hormone (and had the foresight to use my shears to “injure” the stems in a few spots along its length exposing the cambium), I then rather carelessly stuck the hardwoods into several pots filled with potting soil. In 4-5 days most of the softwoods had dried or died despite my contraptions to create a greenhouse environment for the softwoods. At the same time the nearly neglected hardwoods began showing some foliage activity! And now about a week and a half after harvesting, at best2-4 of the 20 softwoods have ‘not yet died’ while each of the unappreciated hardwood stems are actively pushing several lively foliage stems (suggesting) active rooting activity!
Thank you for sharing that! I wonder if the stats on softwood cuttings were formulated for rooting done in propagation houses with the benefit of climate control, misting, etc.? Anyway, sounds like you've done a great job with those hardwood cuttings. I can relate to what you are saying about wanting to be sure you have the same plant. I've seen quite a few crape myrtles (and other plants) that had great characteristics, but I wasn't quite sure what variety they were, so propagating them was the obvious answer. Take care!
Regarding climate control, misting, etc, I think you're right.
The reason I tried so many softwoods is because I believed (everyone in the know says) that is the easiest, fastest, most likely successful way. I tried creating a humid environ using 2-liter soda bottles and a number of other means. My accidental experiment involved using 9 inch pots then covered the pots with clear plastic 'shower caps' purchased from the local dollar store. In the pots I placed several of the most turgid softwoods I could collect; then as an afterthought I stuck a couple hardwoods along side the softwoods. In about a week just as the softwoods were becoming dried, crispy and, well...dead, the hardwoods began sprouting and now 2 weeks after harvesting the branch each hardwood has at least a couple sprouts each2-3 inches in length with 8 or so leaves!
Additionally this March when pruning a two year old crepe that I'm training into a single trunk tree, I had a half inch diameter branch that just before discarding as garden waste, I decided to cut a 6 inch graft, stuck it into ground I prepared with potting soil. Now, that "garden waste" has become a 6-8 inch bushy growing sapling! Other than sticking it into the ground (I did dip it into rooting hormone), I did nothing to aid its wonderful growth!
Apologies for going on and on about this, but you'll not find this information ANYWHERE else on the web!
For a standard (full size) crepe myrtle, how long would you guess from sapling to mature height?
Hi Crapelover!
I've heard that trees grow the most in their earlier years, kind of like us humans. I've seen crape myrtles that I would have guessed grew 3', 4', 5' in one year. As they approach their mature size, they seem to slow down, but don't really ever stop growing...or do they? Here is my totally unscientific guess on a large growing tree like Natchez, just based on years of observation:
6 to 7 years - 50% of mature size
10 to 11 years - 75% of mature size
14 to 15 years - 90%
16 to 17 years - 92%
18 to 19 years - 93%
20 to 21 years - 93.75%
I put those numbers (guesses) out for illustration purposes, but I'd say many crape myrtle varieties approach or near mature size at around 15 to 20 years old, in my humble opinion.
Here’s a question for the ‘plant-scientists’ in us::
I’ve always had the understanding that all trees grow in height by adding inches to its tips not by pushing up from the bottom. The way I’ve always conceptualized this is, thinking of the romantic scene of an elderly couple revisiting the oak tree they had carved their initials in decades earlier. The tree, now many feet taller, still has the carved initials at eyesight height not 15 feet above the couples’ heads!
Yet, there is a crepe myrtle that I’ve taken cuttings from last Fall (8 months ago). I used a hand pruner to cut the cuttings. I had to reach a few inches above my head to reach the limbs to take my choice of cuttings. Now, 8 months later, the same tree does not appear to have any significant pruning appears taller. And, I was unable to reach any limb using a 3-foot lopper, with outstretched arms and standing on my tippy-toes! It appears this single trunk crepe myrtle has grown nearly 5 feet by lengthening from the bottom! Could that be true!?
Hello romantic scientist, (aka anonymous),
I enjoy reading your thoughts on these crape myrtle matters. I've got a guess on what you are experiencing. It is just a guess, and I don't consider myself a scientist, but I wonder if the crape myrtle your took cuttings from is young enough that the general area you took the cuttings from is essentially in an immature stage of growth (still growing). The fact that your cuts are for propagating purposes necessitates the need for pruning on immature wood. Maybe a good experiment would be to find a crape myrtle that is older, say 10 years old, and somehow place markers at various locations on the tree... one down low near the base of the tree, another a little below the middle, and then one closer to the top. My guess is that mature wood at the base will not get taller, the middle marker would possibly rise just a bit if any at all, and the tallest marker, where the wood is less mature, might move the fastest. Another important consideration would be the actual location of the markers. I'd think the "romantic theory" would hold up for the main trunk wood; wood closest to the center of the plant, rather than the branches that form the drip line. Hmmm, I may have to do an experiment at my house!
The bane of all crepe myrtle growers seem to be "suckers"! But why do some plants (of the same age and cultivar) have different sucker habits? I'm developing my backyard into a crepe myrtle garden (a couple dozen plants). unkempt suckers make an otherwise beautiful tree look unattended! There are a few of my trees that 'a sucker born every day' applies while others are growing as either single or multi-trunk trees with no suckers. Other than constant attention and removing the suckers, any thoughts from you guys?
I just moved a 2 to 3 foot crepe myrtle zone 7. It looks a little droopy and sad. Gave it 2 gal of water while planting and after it settled. I've stake it. The trunk is about 1/2 inch wide. Do you think it will die. Should I do anything else to it?
Sept. 7, 2017
Anonymous (suckers)- Hello there. I wouldn't be surprised if a crape myrtle in some sort of stress would be more likely to sucker than a healthy crape myrtle. Just a hunch. I do know that once a crape myrtle begins down that suckering path, it rarely reverses course and becomes obedient. IT'S MADDENING!
Hi Lillian,
Typically, if you can have an intact root ball (not bare root), the transplant will survive quite nicely, but only if it gets plenty of water. The rootball for a 2'-3' tall crape myrtle should be about 6" and special care should be taken so that the rootball doesn't fall apart. Early September is probably a little warm for transplanting crape myrtles so watering is even more of an important requirement.
All that being said, droopy, sad leaves doesn't necessarily mean your plant will die. You should check the plant by scratching a small section of the trunk to see if there is green wood under the outer layer of the stem. You also might consider pruning back your crape myrtle. Doing that might improve your plant's chances of thriving. Good luck to you!
If given the choice of anytime of the year, which month would you transplant a crepe myrtle? My guess would be late winter/early spring (after the last frost of the year).
the expression on a person's face when it finally looses its elasticity and boomerangs shwuph onto their chin. Apart from recreational substance abuse, I relax by splitting hair - something that has lately gone way out of hand.buy chain link fence
Rob!
i loved reading your whole crape myrtle synopsis. well done! i love a good and clever writer! so, i have about 40 or 50 feet of a neighbor's fence line i would like to create a crape myrtle "hedge," knowing that proper spacing is an absolute. but i kind of want it to be effective now rather than wait for maturity. is there a variety you recommend that will reach 15-20 feet and maybe keeps a more slender width? looks like the natively american named varieties might fit the bill. thank you and i found this forum extremely helpful.
jennifer
Wondeful wealth of imformation here....thank you for allvyour efforts.
I am planting...together.. a red "double feature, a "red rocket", and an "ebony flame " in a triangle 10 feet from each other to create a painting of reds with varying leaf colors and I was wondering if this is a mistake here in central NJ
Hello Central NJ
I think that will eventually be a lot of crape myrtle going on...the Double Feature and Ebony Flame tends to be bushy, lower growing crape myrtles (lower growing being relative...don't be surprised if those can get to 15' eventually), but can be cleaned up underneath and transformed into a shorter, clean, multi-trunk tree. Red Rocket will get taller than the Double Feature and Ebony Flame. I guess my "subjective" opinion is that that arrangement of plantings (one dark leaved, three with different growth habits, and three with different shades of red, etc.) could be a bit confusing to the eye, if I'm being honest. But it is a subjective opinion. Whatever makes you happy is what you should do.
Hello, I think I’ve read every comment on this blog last night. So recently I bought a new house on 1/2 an acre that is mostly bare in SW. OK 7b zone. I currently have a 6 ft privacy fence surrounding 3 sides on my property (roughly 350ft in total 160x80x100) and my home is the focal point of the subdivision. My vision was/is still to row plant CM’s along all 3 sides of my fence line to add additional privacy with the beautiful canopy tops. I read and researched until my eyes crossed and I jumped the gun. I purchased 24 Natchez’ and 6 acoma’s. What I meant to do was get 24 Acoma’s and 6 Natchez’s (banging my head into a wall). Can I still make this work somehow? I already marked the area for the acoma’s to be planted 3ft off the fence and 8ft apart. If I decide to plant the Natchez how far should I plant them to achieve the privacy canopy I desired? Or should I return the Natchez and get the acoma’s? I’m kind of worried the acoma’s won’t grow up to meet my desire for the additional privacy. Can you please advice? I’m happy to send pictures to better explain my dilemma if it will help.
Hi Shelly,
I like Acoma because it is slower growing than Natchez and it has a somewhat weeping habit, even at a young age. There are claims on plant websites that Acoma will only grow to 10' or 12' tall, but I can say that it will easily grow taller than 15'. Natchez is much faster growing and it can reach 25' to 30' tall. The differences in the two is really the rate of growth, the habit of growth, bloom size, and the color of the wood revealed when the bark exfoliates (Natchez is cinnamon, Acoma is a lovely tan/brown).
I do believe you could plant either of these crape myrtles 3 to 5 feet from the fence. I would just be sure to prune them clean of lateral branches until you reach the height of where you want your canopy to start. I would encourage you to emphasize 3 to 5 or more main vertical trunks by pruning away anything else. Of course, no topping. Do realize that Natchez can grow about as wide and it can tall, so if you do plant 3' from the fence, you may eventually have 12' of your plant hanging over on the other side. With Acoma,,,I think it would be reasonable to project an eventual total width of 12' to 15'.
I do think Natchez is the more spectacular crape myrtle because of the bloom size, the graceful nature of the tree and the muscular/colorful wood that emerges as the plant ages.
You have 350' of fence line and thirty crape myrtles. That's approx. 12' spacing. I generally suggest folks space their Natchez at about 20' to 30' and Acoma at 10' to 15' if they want to see that silhouette of each tree from a distance rather than the trees running together to form more of a hedge of canopy tops. Also, keep in mind that it will be a challenge to grow grass under Natchez crape myrtles planted 8' to 10, or even 12' apart. I would anticipate a large mulch area or an under planting of a durable ground cover or woody shrub, eventually.
Maybe you could do a slight stagger (every other plant 3' and then 5' or 6' from the fence). I don't know if you can spare the extra space a stagger would take up, but that might allow you to add and extra foot or two to your spacing.
I wish you the best. Feel free to check in with me if I can be of any assistance. I'm always happy to help!
Plant the dynamite myrtles in the fall or spring ?
Some varieties might bloom different colors depending on their environment. Dr. Carl Whitcomb noticed this in one of his popular cultivars...it would bloom white or pink depending on the temperature.
Hi there! I would like to grow an allee of Natchez Crepe Myrtles along my driveway, 3 on either side. How far from the drive should they be planted, and how far apart from one another? Thanks!
Hey there! It kind of depends on whether or not you want these plants to have some separation between them for as long as they are around. You need to go with a 30' to 40' spacing from the center of one plant to the center of the next if that is your goal. You can plant them at more like 20' to 25' apart but realize that they will eventually touch, but still maintain some element of separation. I have seen plantings of Natchez crape myrtles planted as close as 8' apart, but then of course what you have is a glob of crape myrtle about 5 years down the road...it is a way to go if you want quick coverage. I think you lose some of the redeeming ornamental elements of the Natchez when you do that, though. Good luck my friend!
To Norma: Sorry I missed your post. Either time is fine. I prefer Fall.
To Bradley: I really appreciate the comment. I'll look into it, for sure!
Hi
When can and should you begin to prune the lower 1/2 of your Crepe Myrtle - this is my first year planting one and it has grown to about 3 feet tall its more of a bush right now but I think it may e too young to prune.
Hello Man of the Earth-
I have a farm with 1200 ft of cleared road frontage with full sun exposure. My neighbor (10 minutes away) has a nursery with very large 25 ft Natchez CMs. He has a nursery and sells these CMs and has had neighbors successfully relocate trees of this size. I am planning on planting these CMs 30 ft apart as I’d like the branches close, but not touching. With all that road frontage I will need 37 trees so I’d like to get this right. My neighbor is charging me $150 a tree, but most of my cost will be in the transplanting of these trees which will cost me between $150-$300 to transplant. I have someone available with the correct equipment to do this. I’m not a spring chick, so I’m willing to pay for an instant view as long as I know I can expect these trees to do reasonably well. Here are my questions:
1. These trees have a nice structure, but are currently planted about 10 ft apart so they are somewhat fan shaped. Will these mature trees spread out in their new 30 ft spacing? 2. I’m in zone 7b, upper part of SC and was planning on moving these trees in Jan/Feb. Should I add a root stimulator at the time of transplant? 3. I have a landscaper with very long flat bed that will be transporting these CMs in small groups. Do they need to be trimmed or do you think they can they make it for a 10 minute ride on local streets without sustaining damage if the branches are tied? Neighbor says yes and had me visit another neighbor a couple of blocks away that did this, but that’s quite a bit shorter than our trip. 4. I could also buy smaller Natches CMs in the 5-6 ft range for about the same price ($150) and it would cost me much less to transplant. The only reason I would do this is if you think the mature trees would not survive being uprooted. If I did this would it take about 10 years for these smaller trees to obtain the 25 ft height? Are there some advantages other than cost that I’m not thinking of with the smaller trees? 5. We have horses and would like to create a 6-8ft evergreen privacy screen on this same road as an underplanting with the CMs. You said CMs don’t mix well with Hollies. Do you have any other suggestions?
And thanks for sharing all of you CM knowledge! CMs are such incredible trees! I have to admit I was guilty of Crape Murder at my old home, but with this new land I have plenty of room to make sure that never happens again!
Oops. Sorry Man from Earth, not Man of the Earth but I think that title fits too!
Hi there Crape Lover!
"Will these mature trees spread out in their new 30 ft spacing?"
I think they will reach out to the sun, so yes, they will eventually fill in. However, if these plants have been pruned to accommodate the 10 ft. spacing, and as you said, they are already 25' tall, it may take several years. And if they have been pruned, I'd be looking at how they were pruned. If pruned in mid-stem, then they'd be more likely to produce lateral branches. If pruned flush to an adjacent branch, then the likelihood for lateral growth to fill in would be retarded.
"Should I add a root stimulator at the time of transplant?"
I'd certainly consider it. A 1 gallon container would likely treat a good number of your trees. I assume these trees would be ball and burlap.Wire baskets would be an additional plus.
" Do they need to be trimmed or do you think they can they make it for a 10 minute ride on local streets without sustaining damage if the branches are tied?"
The plants should be fine, especially if your landscaper stacks them tight on his trailer and, as you said, they are tied"
" Are there some advantages other than cost that I’m not thinking of with the smaller trees?"
As long as the field trees you'd be purchasing appear to be healthy, well shaped, and are being dug as ball and burlap plants, I think you'll be fine. The price seems reasonable. Your 5' Natchez at 150.00 each seems rather pricey. I suppose there is an element of safety in planting 5' container plants. 5' containers might be considered less likely to succumb to transplant shock. And, replacing a failed 25' plant would be a bit more daunting than replacing a 15 gallon crape myrtle. You are right to assume that a 5 foot tall Natchez is going to take nearly a decade to reach 25' tall, though. If it were me, I'd give serious consideration to using container plants, but given the situation you've described, only if I could find taller, well-branched plants for at less money than you've described. Then again, as long as my tree grower runs what appears to be a reputable, professional outfit and you feel good about the condition of the trees, you should be fine going with the field grown stock.
As far as an under planting, a little more info would be helpful. Are you looking for a solid hedge under the crape myrtles or would you be ok with plantings that had some openings from the roadway? Also, what height were you envisioning?
Hope this helps!
manfromearth aka manofearth!
We have a magnificent Muskogee about 25' high,planted about 4' from an aggregate driveway. It is thriving. But now we'd like to add a stacked stone wall approximately 5' from the single trunk. It be only be a partial circle around 1/4 of the tree. The wall will sit on a foundation of compacted gravel. Will this damage the root system and eventually harm or even kill the tree? I can live without the wall but not the tree. What is a Muskogee's root system like? We are in Williamsburg, Virginia, zone 7.
Hi! When we moved into our house, there were two mature crape myrtles in a 6’ x 9’ bed, planted lengthwise by the edge of the patio. Both are well over 25’ in height, appear to have upright habits, and it seems that neither was ever pruned. We recently had the patio redone, and removed one of the crape myrtles. The remaining tree has multiple crossing stems and is more flushed out on one side than the other (the other tree was blocking the morning sun, but the remaining tree was getting afternoon sun). I’m not sure of the variety, but it blooms pink-purple flowers every year reliably. It’s June now and I think too late to prune it, but when the time comes, how much should we prune in a year? Should we prune all crossing branches? Two of the crossing branches are very low and appear to be growing into each other. Any advice you can give on pruning would be very helpful!
Whoops! Forgot to mention, we are in Philadelphia PA, zone 7
Hi! I just bought a “cotton candy” crepe myrtle, I believe it may be a dwarf variety but the tag does not specify how tall it could get. I don’t know If it could even be a semi dwarf or a miniature? I can’t seem to find much info on “cotton candy” variety, it’s a very light pink resembles a near east.
Not really a gardener here. I planted a row of crepe myrtles by my drive way red and lavender, some red leaves some not. I wasn't thinking. They are between 15-20 feet tall now. One white. Does this look awful?
I am looking to purchase 6 Catawba crape myrtle trees to create a private area around my courtyard which is sunken in a bit from neighbors whose properties are abit far away but higher. I am wondering if I plant these what the max height they will reach and three of them would be planted in somewhat of a slope downward. Will this affect the growth rate? I want a tree that grow upright and has decent width to it with the beautiful bushy flowers on top but with the ability to prune the trunks so we can see through to the back of my yard. Is Catawba the best choice? Looking for approx a20ft tree with gorgeous purple or pink(mostly epitome though and completely deer resistant.
Can crape myrtle trees be planted across from each other along either side of a sidewalk? One side has 6ft of space between the sidewalk and street while the other has 7 ft between the sidewalk and where the turf starts.
Also, can ‘golf ball’ pittisporum, grasses and lavender be planted under crape myrtles?
Hi Rob and thank you for your blog. I learn a lot from reading it. I live in the Houston area. I am embarrassed to admit that while I love crape myrtles and have always admired every one I drive by, I have been unable to select one for my frontyard. I have a small single story house and there was a flowering Okame Cherry tree in front, but it got diseased and even though we washed and sprayed it, we had to remove it. I want to plant a 30-gallon crape myrtle in the front yard in its place. It will be the only tree in the front of the house and needs to be substantial and beautiful.
I went to a tree farm and they recommended a Basham Party Pink crape myrtle, so I bought it. Before I could pick it up, I looked it up and saw that it will be tall and is a very pale purple color with an upright branching habit - so not a big vase shaped crown. I am seeking shade for my front yard and a spreading crown to balance the low, spreading single story house.
I went back and the grower told me to change it to a Tuscarora crape because it is watermelon red and will look good on my dark brick house. But I looked it up online and they say it is actually a coral orange/pink. Sadly, my house is an ugly mix of dark red and dark purple brick. Additionally, there is a grey-beige stone color around the front door and over the garage door. My favorite Crape Myrtles are Natchez and I have 3 of them along the back fence of my backyard. So I thought I should choose another color to brighten up my dark drab brick house from the street. But I need a big spreading tree (or do I?). Can you please help me? What shape and color of crape myrtle will look best on the non-driveway side of my frontyard with that dark, drab brick and grey-beige stone? Many thanks! Allison
Hi! I’m finding this question thread fascinating, and wonder if you can help set my mind at ease. I *think* i bought a Muskogee (15 gal, not v big yet) and planted it in November maybe 1.5 feet farther from my house than the location of a huge mature Ash that i had to remove…but it is still fairly close at about 6’ out. The house is a tiny single story, but a neighbor suggested maybe the tree needs to be even farther away. I had been banking on the non-invasive roots and single-trunk on this tree to have it mature upwards and create shade without conflicting with the house. Was I too optimistic? And, if so, it has been leafing out for the last week or so, and i’m worried about shocking it if i try to move it soon. Can i wait until it goes dormant again, or will that be even worse? Thank you for your advice!
Oh wow, looks like I've missed some posts. So sorry. Just in case any of you are there, here goes. To Norma: Either is fine. If I had to chose, I'd go with Fall especially if you are in an appropriate zone (zone 7 or warmer).
Hi Bosox, sorry for the late reply. Crape myrtles have a surface root system, primarily. There might be a concern for covering a quarter of the root system with 5 feet of soil if you are back filling the wall. If you were putting that much soil over one half or more of the root system, it would surely be an issue. Putting even a foot plus of soil over a root system is effectively cutting off oxygen (a necessary ingredient for proper root growth) to the plant. You may be alright if you are talking 25 percent of the root system being impacted, but it's not ideal. Happy Opening Day!
Hi AND,
Preferably while dormant to do your limbing up, but you can do it any time, just be sure you are making flush cuts that are crisp.
Hello Cotton Candy, Looks like this variety,,,Cotton Candy...is a dwarf, shrub form of crape myrtle. My experience with true dwarfs is that they can be very rewarding to grow. Give it plenty of sunlight and place it in a special place with room to shine. Expect 3 to 5 feet tall by the same width in 4 or 5 years.
Hello Red Lavender and White. If I thought I could replace the white with the appropriate crape myrtle, I'd probably do it. Otherwise, I'd pretend I meant to do it that way! If you do chose to plant a new one, you'd definitely want to know the correct variety...just red or lavender isn't going to insure that your plants are going to match.
Catawba is considered a semi-dwarf crape myrtle growing nearly as wide as tall. Some literature suggests it will only grow to about 12', but I've seen them closer to 20'. You can definitely count on more than 12'. It's an outstanding crape myrtle variety. Good luck!
Hello single story dark red brick house in search of a nice crape myrtle to complement. I'm not sure you necessarily need a crape myrtle that grows to 25' plus, like Natchez does and since you sound like you aren't interested in a white flowering crape myrtles, I'd consider a light pink variety. Perhaps a light pink flowering semi-dwarf crape myrtle would fit the bill. Semi-dwarf varieties of any size can be hard to find, but if you could find Souix or Yuma, I think those would brighten up your home. Those varieties will grow to around 15' tall with a nice vase shape. I hope this helps.
Sara, I would look for some semi-dwarf varieties and consider generous spacing between them. The crape myrtles, even if they are semi-dwarf, are going to cast shade. Pittosporum may do okay in that environment, but most grasses and lavender require good sunlight. If you aren't selecting a dwarf pittosporum, I'd be concerned that the standard pittosporum would grow to tall under your semi-dwarf crape myrtles. Hope this helps.
Hello Muskogee! Well, Muskogee crape myrtles get quite large. We've all planted large crape myrtles too close to our homes. It's a great question about when to move it. I'm in zone 7 (Central Alabama) and our crape myrtles are just beginning to leaf out. I think you could move it now, but since it has only been in the ground for 5 or 6 months, you could wait until next Fall or Winter. The task of moving it may be easier should you do it now since you wouldn't have to contend with another season of root growth...just be sure to plant slightly shallow and keep it well watered through this coming warm season. Good luck. I think you are doing the right thing by moving it. Muskogees are very large growing crape myrtles, even as a single trunk.
Plus, a hydrangeas color will never change if it’s white, so soil balance doesn’t seem to matter. My white had one purple freckle one year. interesting! All
My murdered myrtles are pink…I think
Yes, as far as I know, it's just Hydrangea macrophylla blooms that can change from blue to pink or visa versa, due to soil ph. I wouldn't mind if I had one of my freckles turn purple! Maybe I should consider an alkaline shampoo.
A status quoer is someone who does what others do for the associated status of the thing. Thanks for the new term. Now , they no longer are just sheep.
Considering a crape myrtle as an espalier on a western facing wall in North Texas. What do you think?
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