possible wind swept or weeping crape myrtle?

will0911

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hi i thought i would ask if anyone thought that this tree would be a good candidate for the windswept or possibly a weeping style?

Heres a picture:

2011-08-23_07-26-01_912.jpg


I was originally gonna do almost like an informal broom but took this picture the other day and i was thinking of going the windswept route. If not just let me know. i know crapes have a good memory but i think i could make it work with enough effort! i have never done one in this style and i know that its really hard to pull off a convincing tree but hopefully i might get lucky! any suggestions welcome doesnt have to be what i mentioned its just what i see in the tree.

Thanks,

Will B.
 

jk_lewis

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It says informal upright to me.
 

will0911

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really? not broom? could you tell me what youre thinking? im interested!
 

tmmason10

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I think that perhaps a trim is in order to expose a little more of the trunk line. I don't think that branch should cross over the trunk that low on the tree.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Windswept and weeping styles aren't really fitting to types of trees with growth as assertive as a crape myrtle...unless you just love constant wiring and pruning. You'd be best coaxing it into the best representation of a natural crape myrtle it will allow...informal upright, with a bit of a vase-shape. This way, you may even get to enjoy flowers, since they are borne on long, new growth; exactly the type of growth we typically pinch out all summer.
 

will0911

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I would trim it but when I repotted it this spring it took until the end of july to even bud out! I thought it was a goner so I kinda wanna take it easy and let it grow until the end of the season. Unless you feel now is fine with fall around the corner.

Brian Van Fleet: I will go for an informal upright then!

Thanks all for the info!

Will B.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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It appears to be healthy now, but I would definitely keep it growing strong and leave it alone until this winter. At that time, you can wire and prune. Green wood, as well as recently lignified branches that are still squared off can be brittle until they "round out", so you'll have better results working them in the winter.

It's a little surprising it took that long to rebound, kudos to you for keeping the faith! Crape myrtles are bullet-proof, but do seem to pout for a while after root disturbances.
 

will0911

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Brian,

I was really starting to doubt its survival but every now and then i would do a scratch test up high and to my surprise everytime it was green. i walked outside to check the benches as i did every day and it seemed over night it decided to grow! i have a few crapes and they all had flowered and i had trimmed them at least twice and defoliated a few and they had grown another set of full leaves before this one thought of show life. but im glad i kept going i really like this tree!

jkl,

lol...i meant towards style. i ws thinking of definately keeping most of the branches and just work on filling it out. it has a general crape myrtle shape and hopefully i can let it flower every year after i get it healthy. well probably not every year i heard thats bad for the health. what is it two or three years flowering then a certain of off time? not sure.

Will B.
 
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Will, it's funny you posted this... I was trying to get at the very same thing on your other thread, that when young, jaboticaba, and "crape" myrtles look very similar.
Obvious problem with this type of styling would be no flowers... if that is not a problem for you, than yes go for it... they actually hedge / pad up rather nice as well if you would like to do that as well, not many do...
 

will0911

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Well...I didn't know what a jaboticaba was so I.googled it and I ran across this picture so thanks for bringing it up! I really don't care about flowers. I tree in nature that looks like that wouldn't have flowers, seems like.
 

will0911

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so i took the first step and decided to prune one heavy branch that wouldnt work with this tree and this is what it looks like now. i wont wire it till it loses its leaves then i can see the structure better and begin its wire training!

tree as of september 11, 2011

2011-09-12_08-02-35_0.jpg


here's the before picture so you dont have to scroll

2011-08-23_07-26-01_912.jpg


i think this was a step in the direction i was aiming for. so, as always comments are always welcome because i still have alot to learn.

Thanks,

Will B.
 

will0911

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Ok so I wired this tree today...im not thrilled but it'll do till spring.

2011-09-17_09-04-26_945.jpg


2011-09-17_09-26-17_514.jpg


2011-09-17_09-25-51_758.jpg


I gave a few slightly varying angles. The front is in there somewhere. Comments welcome.

Thanks,

Will B.
 

rockm

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What's up with the rocks?
 

will0911

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The water was washing from the back so I put rocks there and I point the water hose on the rocks and fill it up and the soil stays. This tree also got a little loose in the pot even with wire so I used the rocks as a counter balance. Ill repot it in spring to a new pot and wire it in better
 

jk_lewis

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Why is it wired? It doesn't look to me like you bent the trunk or any of the branches.

BE VERY CAREFUL OF A WIRED CRAPE MYRTLE! They have thin, delicate bark and the wire can badly scar the tree. I almost always use clip and grow techniques on mine.

It looks to me like you might shoot for a taller, more graceful shape on yours.
 

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