How to Grow & Care for Crape Myrtle Trees & Bushes

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crepe myrtle ( or crepe Vinca minor ) tree diagram & bushes provide year - round interest and color with their showy summer prime , colorful downslope foliage and attractive exfoliating barque in wintertime . They are usable in several size of it from 2 - foot shrubby dwarf multifariousness to towering trees , propose many colors from bloodless to spectre of deep red and purple , and can be grown as single or multi - trunk specimen . With all of these options , you ’ll be able to discover the perfect crepe Vinca minor for your garden .

CRAPE MYRTLE BASICS

picture by : BA LaRue / Alamy Stock Photo .

Zones:

Varieties for zones 6 - 10 . Some may only be root hardy in geographical zone 6 , meaning the roots will survive the wintertime temperatures , but it ’s potential that the above - ground branches will die back all to the ground . If this come about , new spring outgrowth will emerge from below solid ground .

Height/Spread:

Standard undivided and multi - trunk trees can turn to 20 to 30 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide-cut , quickly originate up to 3 metrical unit per year . There are alsosmaller varietiesat 6 to 12 feet grandiloquent , semi - dwarf varietiesranging from 3 to 6 feet grandiloquent , anddwarf shrubs2 to 5 feet magniloquent . Make certain you ’re choosing the appropriate crape myrtle bush or tree diagram for your location and design .

Exposure:

Full sun , minimal 6 hours per day .

Bloom Time:

July to September , with some mixed bag blossom until first frost .

Flower Color:

Varieties available in clean , and multiple shades of crimson , violet , and pinkish .

Invasive:

Learn more : Where is this species invasive in the United States ?

PLANTING CRAPE MYRTLE

BIOSPHOTO / Alamy Stock Photo .

When to plant:

As a cosmopolitan formula , most deciduous tree and shrubs are plant in fall or early spring , allowing them metre to establish their root before choke abeyant in wintertime or before the heat of summer hits . Crape myrtles are very lively and can be constitute most any meter of year , even in summertime — just be sure to water them well .

Where to plant:

Crapes lie with the Sunday and are extremely high temperature liberal . They should be planted in an field with at least 6 hours of sunlight per daytime . Some partial shade during the 24-hour interval is fine , but may leave in few blooms . More sun = more blooms . They are n’t picky about their soil , but do want good drainage .

How to plant:

Dig a hole double as encompassing and just as abstruse as the container . centre the tree within the pickle and backfill in stage , watering as you go . The top of the rootball should be slightly above ground level to allow it to breathe and take in atomic number 8 . interest if needed and H2O thoroughly after planting .

CARE & PRUNING

Pruning:

crepe myrtles bloom in late spring through summer on new growing , so pruning should be done in winter when they ’re torpid .

In addition to specific pruning for the shape of your Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree or shrub , a respectable cleanup up in the winter is recommended . Remove any crossing or arm crowding the centre , as well as any bushed or diseased wood .

Keep pruning ( and potential frustration ) to a lower limit by choosing one that will grow into the ripe size of it and form naturally . Check the plant shred data to confirm the mature size and shape of your tree diagram .

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See more onhow to by rights crop crape Vinca minor trees .

Beware of over - pruning : A common mistake is over - rationalise and trim the tiptop off , frequently referred to as “ crape execution . ” This can ensue in your tree or bush putting all of its free energy into raise new branches and leaf , with very little energy left for flush . Some say that this create larger heyday the next time of year ; however , magnanimous flush clusters on new branch can cause them to loll and break . to boot , yr after year , this create knobbly increase at the cutting compass point that is more susceptible to disease and distracts from the beauty of the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .

Deadheading:

Spent flowers can be trim down during the growing time of year to promote a 2d bloom .

Soil:

Although crepe myrtles can be grown in about any soil , leaf may turn sensationalistic if soil is too alkaline . adept drain is required for any type of grime .

Amendments & Fertilizer:

Watering:

Once established , crape Vinca minor are quite drouth tolerant . During the first few originate season , they should be watered on a regular basis and deeply once a week , or twice a week in extremely live weather .

Diseases and Pests:

The main disease problem with crape myrtles are fungous leaf dapple andpowdery mold . They do have some susceptibility toaphidsandscale . Varieties such as theRikki Tikki ® andCenter degree ™ series have been developed with increased resistance to powdery mold .