It gets pretty much full sun and the other 2 crapes I have sitting right beside it have uniform size leaves. But maybe I can set if farther out on the patio. How do you feel about cutting it back at this time?I would say that is because it is healthy and do not have enough light. Just my thought. I see no issue healthwise. Maybe give it a bit more sun next year.
I'm just planning to trim back the ones with the crazy big leaves. I would try and take some cuttings, but the flowers are white.I don't think it would hurt it to trim it back now. The landscape plants here get hard pruned in late winter.
I get that, but some are small and some are really big. I guess I'm overthinking it. Just strange that it didn't do that last year.Some cultivars have much bigger leaves than others, especially if derived from Lagerstroemia fauriei.
Why aren't you pruning/tip pruning to control size.I get that, but some are small and some are really big. I guess I'm overthinking it. Just strange that it didn't do that last year.
I wanted to see it bloom. I won't care about that next year, the flowers are white.Why aren't you pruning/tip pruning to control size.
@Forsoothe! Don't know if you're sad it's white or that I didn't prune it. It came from @Zach Smith already pruned last year, so I wanted to see the flowers. No worries, I'll get to work on it next spring.I wanted to see it bloom. I won't care about that next year, the flowers are white.
Thank you for this valuable info as I was just about to ask how to reduce foliage size of my Crape.I'm sad that it isn't going well for you. I'll offer some advice just in case you don't know this. All trees that bloom on the ends of foliage grown this year from the tips of last year's growth have the same fix, with a few exceptions: The resources stored in the roots and used by the by tree to expand buds is divided equally between the number of primary buds in spring, or summer, or whenever a particular tree blooms. The fewer buds, the larger the foliage. To reduce the foliage size you need more primary buds. You can force the tree to grow more primary buds by tip pruning in spring, or the 3rd week of June, or September 1st, or defoliating in the 3rd week of June, or defoliating in late August, or about 3 or these options each year depending upon the health of the tree. You won't get any flowers when you do this, but you will increase the number of buds by a large factor and after 3 years of doing some combination of this you will have lots of buds and smaller foliage on shorter petiole & rachis. As long as you deadhead and don't allow seeds to mature and continue to prune each pinnae back to 1 or 2 sets right after flowering, the condition will continue forever.
Needs pruning and pinching for leaf-size reduction, Carol. It's just a "feature" of crapes and many other species.Last year this crape had uniformly sized leaves. This year, about half of the branches have crazy big leaves, almost the size of my landscape crape. Is this normal? Also, would it be Ok to trim those branches back, this late in the season? It has already flowered. View attachment 397294View attachment 397295View attachment 397296
I'll get after it, I just wanted to see it bloom this year. I was just relieved it made it through the winter here,Needs pruning and pinching for leaf-size reduction, Carol. It's just a "feature" of crapes and many other species.
Assuming it was allowed to go dormant? Then if so...always a good feeling to see a tree wake for spring. Congrats for seeing that happen with your care.I'll get after it, I just wanted to see it bloom this year. I was just relieved it made it through the winter here,