In late January or February, one of the staples of the South – the crape myrtle – will be unceremoniously maimed en masse almost overnight.
This practice of over-pruning stems from homeowners copying other properties where they see these plants topped annually. However, this custom known as ‘crape murder’ can be eliminated over time through proper education and taking a stand against clients who insist it should be done on their property.
Right Plant, Right Place
One of the main reasons crape myrtles get chopped back so drastically is because they are too large for the space they are planted in. Often, large varieties of crape myrtle can reach 20 to 30 feet at maturity and if they are planted too close to a building, a client may assume aggressive pruning is the only solution.
This comes back to the basic landscape practice of selecting the right plant for the right place. There are numerous crape myrtle cultivars including miniature versions that are less than three feet tall, dwarf, semi-dwarf, medium and tall options. If you are installing a landscape, discuss with the client where they are wanting crape myrtles installed and the best varieties to use for those spaces so crape murder isn’t even necessary.
For a list of some of the cultivars available sorted by height, check out this resource here.
Heavy pruning should not be the answer for a crape myrtle that has outgrown its given space. It is better to remove the plant entirely and install a smaller variety than continuing to mutilate it every year.
Proper Pruning Practices
If a crape myrtle has been planted in the right place, they do not require major pruning every year. Instead, minimal selective pruning can help augment its shape and overall health. When a crape myrtle is pruned properly, it features an elegant, vase-like structure.
As for what should be removed, remove suckers at the base of the plant and select three to five radially-spaced stems to develop the young tree’s shape. Remove side branches on the lower half of the tree so the canopy begins three to five feet above ground level.
Prune out branches that are diseased, dead or rubbing or crossing another branch. You can also thin out higher branches growing towards the center of the tree.
If you have clients claiming that crape murder can’t be that bad because it hasn’t killed their trees yet, explain to them this plant’s resilient nature is not a free pass to hack the top off yearly.
Restoring Murdered Crape Myrtles
If your clients have been guilty of crape murder or hiring another landscape company to do their dirty work, there is still hope.
For younger trees that have only been topped for a couple of years, this practice can be corrected by selecting two or three canes that will serve as the primary branches and removing the rest. These future main trunks should being growing away from the center of the plant and suckers should be removed as necessary.
In the case of a crape myrtles that has been murdered for years on end, the response is far more drastic – requiring the crape myrtle to be cut down to the stump during dormancy, forcing it to either produce new shoots or die. Thankfully, its hardy nature can allow it to regrow even from this extreme treatment.
Once it has produced new shoots, during the winter following the first growing season remove all except three to five strong, well-spaced shoots and allow these to become the new plant’s main trunk.
When you see crape murder taking place on a property, don’t be afraid to pass along these practices as the only way to eliminate this atrocity is to share the right way to care for crape myrtles.
