Can I cut back a crape myrtle now and still get flowers this summer

Carol 83

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I just received this crape myrtle from Wigert's. It's completely leafed out, my landscape crapes here are still napping. I have read that you can cut back to a couple pairs of leaves in spring and still have enough growth time to get flowers in the summer. Any opinions on this, or should I just let it grow this season? new crape..jpg
 

Carol 83

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Quite a change from Florida to IL, needs time to acclimate
Totally agree, I didn't mean immediately, but maybe it would be better to just let it grow this year. Thanks
 
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From what I have experienced in my corner of the world, i would say yes you can cut em back. They seems to love to whip em out and show off to the world no matter what I do to em.
 

Carol 83

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From what I have experienced in my corner of the world, i would say yes you can cut em back. They seems to love to whip em out and show off to the world no matter what I do to em.
That's what I was thinking, The one I got last spring grew like a weed.
 

Michael P

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They bloom on new growth, so as long as it is actively growing it should bloom during the summer. I don't know what your goal for the tree is, but I suggest reducing the top and leaving the lower branches alone.
 

Carol 83

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They bloom on new growth, so as long as it is actively growing it should bloom during the summer. I don't know what your goal for the tree is, but I suggest reducing the top and leaving the lower branches alone.
Thanks for giving me some direction. When you say reduce the top, do you mean just prune the top branches back to a few leaves each?
 

Carol 83

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That is what I would do.
Thụ Thoại
Then that's what I'll do. By the way, I noticed a bud popping from one of the crape cuttings I started when I pruned my landscape crape, following your advice for cuttings :)
 
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