Crêpe myrtle three trunks and removal of

[Salvarez]

Hello everyone,

I am growing a Crêpemyrtle and as It came from the nursery it has three separate trunks. I am trying to find out which one I want to work with for a nice taper in the future and need to grow the base.

My question is not in regards to which one is the best out of the three options. My question is has anyone cleaned up the rootsand actually cut out two of the trucks and only kept one? Anything I can learn from anyone’s experience? Is it a separation or a “chop” down.

 

[19Mateo83]

I have found that a lot of times nursery crepe myrtles are separate trees put together with the intent of them eventually fusing into a multi trunk clump like you tend to see with mature specimens in the landscape. You should be able to separate them in the spring. They can take fairly drastic root reductions as well. They also air layering fairly readily so there’s always that option.

 

[penumbra]

I have found that a lot of times nursery crepe myrtles are separate trees put together with the intent of them eventually fusing into a multi trunk clump like you tend to see with mature specimens in the landscape. You should be able to separate them in the spring. They can take fairly drastic root reductions as well. They also air layering fairly readily so there’s always that option.

I would say that the cm shown is definitely two plants in one pot.

 

[19Mateo83]

I would say that the cm shown is definitely two plants in one pot.

Looks like 3 to me

 

[penumbra]

Looks like 3 to me

Could well be my friend. It is a common enough practice.

 

[Salvarez]

Thanks everyone!

 

[Waldo Street Pottery]

I picked up a couple of CMs while home for the holiday, from a cousin that owns a CM specific nursery. If he said, “you can’t kill them”, once, he said it 20 times. I sure hope he’s right. I have root-pruned some small ones and planted in the ground, and trunk chopped another, leaving it in its nursery can.

 

[Maiden69]

I had the same situation with an Encore azalea that seemed to be one buried deep, but ended up being 2 separate trees. You could repot in January and separate them, placing them where it would be most beneficial for the design. I thin you would be ok chopping them at the same time, but you will not know where exactly until you report them. I would give them a year to recuperate and just do a hard prune after post flush hardening to increase your options.

 

[Salvarez]

I had the same situation with an Encore azalea that seemed to be one buried deep, but ended up being 2 separate trees. You could repot in January and separate them, placing them where it would be most beneficial for the design. I thin you would be ok chopping them at the same time, but you will not know where exactly until you report them. I would give them a year to recuperate and just do a hard prune after post flush hardening to increase your options.

Thank you!