Crape Myrtle Crazy

[VAFisher]

And my last one. This just came out of the ground this year. I was never planning to dig it up but it was in the way of one of the new stands that I put in. So I decided to try it. It's got a decently thick trunk and some flakey bark so that's a good start. All of the branches are new this year. Long way to go.

 

[Carol 83]

Very nice. I got 4 little pocomokes this spring. Probably take 50 years to look anything like yours, but I like the tiny little leaves. Your winters are probably a bit milder than mine, just wondering if you protect them?

 

[VAFisher]

Very nice. I got 4 little pocomokes this spring. Probably take 50 years to look anything like yours, but I like the tiny little leaves. Your winters are probably a bit milder than mine, just wondering if you protect them?

Thanks! You'll get there faster than that with pokomoke. They're almost like instant bonsai.

I do protect them. They stay on a shelf in my gatrage during winter.

 

[VAFisher]

So I've seriously thinned the crape myrtle herd over the last couple years. Gave a few away and sold a couple at the club auction. I have 5 left and may get rid of one more at some point. Here is a quick update on 3 of them. My 2 remaining Pocomokes are just now starting to grow and I'll update those in a couple weeks.

This is the roughest and biggest trunk of my crapes. That straight section bothers me a little. I'll play with angles to see if anything can be done other than chopping lower.

 

[VAFisher]

My little mame. Concensus in the shohin tree thread was that I should remove the low left branch, but I think the tree would be worse for it. I like that branch and think the tree is way more interesting with it. Looking at the pic, I probably need to wire it and put a little kink in it though.

 

[VAFisher]

I made some newb mistakes with this one - namely that straight secrion of trunk after the bend. But, the base is getting pretty good. The surface roots are mostly buried now, but in a few years I think the nebari will be really good.

 

[LanceMac10]

That second branch on the viewer's right is getting a bit too vigorous. And it's a bit too much like the one right above it. A hard prune for direction and maybe defoliate to reign it in?

Cool little tree!

...the one with the branch someone has a problem with....

 

[VAFisher]

It does look a little parallel, but the 2d photo accentuates it. The one above is angled a little more to the rear. I actually like the thickness of that branch and think the lowest branch needs to run to catch up. Point taken though and it probably doesn't need to get any thicker. I'll keep my peepers on it. Thanks for taking the time to comment!

 

[VAFisher]

This little Pocomoke was very confused this year and is just now budding out. This is a record for me for lateness.

 

[cbroad]

I'm glad it finally leafed out for you, but it's looking really good bare!

 

[VAFisher]

Thanks man. That's a GBGH special.

 

[cbroad]

That's a GBGH special

Nice! I wish all the crap I brought home from there turned out this good!

 

[VAFisher]

Did a little more work on this crape recently. I removed some branches and hard pruned it and it reaponded well. It popped that bud down low on the right. Not sure if it will be a keeper branch but I'm going to develop it and live with it for a while to see. I'm liking the design that is emerging - although still a long way to go.



Not a terrible base.

 

[VAFisher]

An update pic of the little pokomoke. Silver Bullet for scale only. I would never drink at 11:00am on a Sunday...

 

[LanceMac10]

It's alright, since it's a Coors Light, you haven't "started drinking" until your half-way thru a sixer.....

I love you lil' crapes, they always have a pleasant appearance. Not something I think I could overwinter with confidence.

Went to Bonsai West for the first time this season, this morning. Needed some "beer goggles" to swallow some of the prices for material.....

....not a review, shop with confidence.....'cuz it seems industry wide....

 

[Hack Yeah!]

@VAFisher, thanks for keeping up on this thread, it inspired me to look for a few pokemokes. Looking forward to your updates

 

[Starfox]

Excellent thread, thanks for sharing.
I bought 4 small sticks in pots last September, the one I repotted immediately has been leafed out for a month or so already and the 2 I waited a month or so more to repot are just now at bud break. The fourth I didn't repot and it would appear to have not made it. I had a red, white, pink and purple so it'll be interesting to see which ones I'm left with.

 

[penumbra]

Just want to mention that Crepe Myrtle are one of the easiest trees to root from hardwood cuttings. It might still be early enough for some of us in cooler zones. They move slow in the spring. I have a few dozen under a dome now covered with tiny leaves. Most will have roots in a few weeks. I also put some larger cuttings in a grow bed outside to see what percentages I might get.
I haven't tried my Pokemoke, guess I will try it today.

 

[Carol 83]

Just want to mention that Crepe Myrtle are one of the easiest trees to root from hardwood cuttings.

I tried some last year, when I pruned my large landscape crepe. They started leafing out, then they croaked. I was very tempted to buy one from the FB auctions last night, but reminded myself that I need to practice restraint after a certain time of night, or a certain amount of .

 

[penumbra]

They started leafing out, then they croaked

When did you take your cuttings? How large were they? What method did you use?