Stop Crape Murder: Don’t Cut Back Your Myrtles

March 14, 2010

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Crape myrtles are a favorite tree along the Gulf Coast. It seems that every yard has at least one tree and landscapers frequently rely on these flowering trees for street plantings and commercial properties. Crape myrtles are low maintenance plants that reward us with colorful flowers throughout the summer months.

crapes12.jpgFlowers are not the only virtue of this tree. Many varieties have beautiful bark and growth habits that can be enjoyed all year if trees are not heavily pruned.

Unfortunately, many crape myrtles receive unnecessary pruning every winter in the form of topping or hat-racking. The practice of topping trees is so common that many people believe it to be needed in order for the tree to flower heavily. This is not always true.

Crape myrtles bloom on new growth which will occur without any pruning. Trees will continue to flower without topping and we all can then enjoy the natural shape and shade that the trees provide. Less pruning also saves the need to dispose of all the trimmings and may reduce your need for pesticides to manage unsightly powdery mildew or sooty mold. If you are pruning because your tree is too large for it’s spot, consider removing it and planting a tree or shrub that fits that spot.

There is a crape myrtle for any spot. Crape myrtles cultivars range in size from 1 foot to over 20 feet tall. Shop carefully so that you purchase a suitable plant for your landscape. The publication Crape Myrtle in Florida will help in your selection process.

Pictured top: Crape myrtle trees do not need pruning  for new growth. Pictured below: These Crape myrtles were ruined with unnecessary topping. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com.

Source: The Escambia County Extension Service

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Comments

7 Responses to “Stop Crape Murder: Don’t Cut Back Your Myrtles”

  1. Dee on July 17th, 2013 5:20 am

    Here in July, our management company has decided to completely top the crepe myrtles. I am devastated, they seem to think they will be fine and will come back better than ever. When? Next Year?
    They were about to bloom, had 10 ft branches, how much better could it have gotten? I am so upset that idiots do this to beautiful majestic trees.
    They will never be the same

  2. yayyyy! on March 16th, 2010 6:39 am

    I posted an article on FB with this same title….I HATE it when people do this to their beautiful trees…mayabe people will stop the madnesss:)

  3. Opps... on March 15th, 2010 4:26 pm

    I guess…according to this article… I’ve murdered my crepe myrtles. I did the same thing to a few getting too tall and close to our power lines. They looked straggled. Thank goodness they do grow back. As I’ve seen them (if not pruned too many times) appear to grow back fuller. I do have another beautifully shaped crepe that I do not prune back. Maybe it’s preference? Does it really hurt the tree?

  4. bill, big b little ill on March 15th, 2010 11:08 am

    I don’t know if I would call that pruning or murder. I see this kind of pruning all the time and they come back with new growth. But it sure takes away from the over all look for me.

  5. Jan on March 15th, 2010 7:50 am

    Great! Now I don’t have to feel guilty for not clipping off those old ends!
    Ours have stayed au natural from the beginning! Buy I was told to prune! Never had the time! Good thing…

  6. C Smith on March 15th, 2010 7:20 am

    If you want to see even more crepe murder drive to Bay Minette and then go south on Hwy 59. All the crepemyrtles in the median have been pruned back so much that they will never have a natural shape again. They look totally ridiculous.
    I’m not sure how this theme of cuting crepemyrtles started, but it seems to be geting out of control. I quess one person sees someone else doing it and assumes that is what you’re suppose to do. Use some common sense and don’t murder your crepemyrtles.

  7. out of step on March 14th, 2010 10:28 pm

    I love the light to the very deep colored crepes. I have always love these flowers. Thanks so much for the information.
    green thumb

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FEATURE TOP STORY, Features, News