Crepe myrtle flowers??

[Joe Dupre']

I got this crepe myrtle for free at a local nursery last spring. It was 4 feet tall, spindly and sickly. I cut it back severely, fed and watered it and it came back strong. What about the flowers/flower stalks. The flower stalks as well as the flowers seem not to have reduced like the leaves did. Is this a "thing"? I do like the huge flowers, but they do take away from the proportions of the tree. When I do prune, do I take off the whole flower stalk or just the flowers themselves?

 

[SWfloirda]

I take off the whole flower stalk. As far as I know both flowers and fruit do not reduce on any tree.

 

[Joe Dupre']

Thanks. Not really sure what's stalk and what's flower. What seems like the stalk does have small leaves on it. I wouldn't want to cut off more foliage than I need to.

 

[Tbrshou]

From all the questions I've asked about crepes if you want the flowers each year you will have to sacrifice the tree proportions and silhouette.

 

[Paradox]

From all the questions I've asked about crepes if you want the flowers each year you will have to sacrifice the tree proportions and silhouette.

This is true, if you want flowers, you need to not prune it

 

[Hartinez]

While most flowering trees are prized for the flowers, in my opinion crape myrtles are the exception, not the rule. I see them prized more for the smooth flaky and colorful bark, along with their leaf shape and fall color, not the flowers. If you let them flower it never quite looks right. I feel this rings true as well with Vitex or chaste tree.

 

[Paradox]

I agree they are nice on their own without flowers

 

[Carol 83]

I got this crepe myrtle for free at a local nursery last spring. It was 4 feet tall, spindly and sickly. I cut it back severely, fed and watered it and it came back strong. What about the flowers/flower stalks. The flower stalks as well as the flowers seem not to have reduced like the leaves did. Is this a "thing"? I do like the huge flowers, but they do take away from the proportions of the tree. When I do prune, do I take off the whole flower stalk or just the flowers themselves?


View attachment 385819

Love the color of the flowers. I have one that is supposed to be red just starting to get flower buds. I'm anxious to see it bloom.

 

[Joe Dupre']

So I'm thinking I'd have to prune off , say, the last 4-5" of the bottom right hand flower stalk as well as the rest of the stalks?????

 

[Tbrshou]

I t

So I'm thinking I'd have to prune off , say, the last 4-5" of the bottom right hand flower stalk as well as the rest of the stalks?????

I think your pruning decisions would be based on what part of the process you are at with this particular tree. My experimental crepe is still in the building branches process so I let it grow and remove all flower pods prior to them opening. Where would you say you are with this tree? It's all based on you and what you like and want out of the tree

 

[VAFisher]

If you want to enjoy some color but help the proportions just prune the bloom back to the first set of flowers on each side. Crape blooms extend almost like a branch with flowers on alternating stems. Just cut back to the first 2.

 

[Joe Dupre']

Ok, I might not be explaining myself clearly. Is the flower stalk the tiny stem that the flower grows out of or is it the whole stalk/branch that all the flowers grow from?

 

[VAFisher]

Here is an example of what I mean from one in my yard thats about to bloom. Cut off the main branch after the 1st couple sets of flower stalks.



Then you can even cut the smaller, individual flower stalks back to the 1st 2 on each side.

 

[Joe Dupre']

Cool, VAFisher. That explains it well. 30 more minutes to daylight and I'm off to prune!

 

[Tbrshou]

Here is an example of what I mean from one in my yard thats about to bloom. Cut off the main branch after the 1st couple sets of flower stalks.

View attachment 385974

Then you can even cut the smaller, individual flower stalks back to the 1st 2 on each side.

View attachment 385976

That was a perfect explanation

 

[Tbrshou]

Cool, VAFisher. That explains it well. 30 more minutes to daylight and I'm off to prune!

BTW I like your crepe. If next year you decide you want it fill in more what has worked for me is to remove the flower bulbs as soon as I see them which allows for more energy to be used for growth. Just another tip I got from someone on this site.

 

[Joe Dupre']

Here's the "after". I went ahead and pruned the long shoots back also. They grow pretty quick, so I'm sure I'll have more foliage to work with by the end of summer...........maybe even more blooms. I know the blooms take away energy from the plant, but it's a concession I'll make for the beauty they give.