Want to know how to trim your crepe myrtles?
- Souther Living
- Jan 11, 2018
- 1 min read
Pruning Tools
To properly prune a mature crepe myrtle, you need three tools:
1. Hand pruners to clip twigs and branches less than 1/2-inch thick.
2. Loppers to cut branches 1/2-inch to 1-1/2 inches thick
3. Pole pruners or a pruning saw to cut branches more than 1-1/2 inches thick.
When to Cut
Late winter (right now) is the best time to prune a crepe myrtle, because it's leafless and you can easily see all of the branches. It also blooms on new growth, so pruning now won't reduce blooming. In fact, it may increase it.
What to Cut
Remove branches in the following order:
1. Suckers coming up from the base.
2. All side branches growing from the main trunks up to a height of at least 4 feet.
3. All higher branches growing inward towards the center of the tree.
4. All crossing, rubbing, and dead branches.
5. Branches growing at awkward angles that detract from the tree's appearance.
Always cut back to a larger branch of the trunk. Don't leave stubs. Removing seedheads on the end of branches is optional. Leaving them doesn't reduce blooming. I leave mine.
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