Most varieties produce beautiful blooms starting in spring or mid-summer and can flower for up to three months.
When to Prune Crepe Myrtle
The end of winter is a good time to prune crepe myrtle.
In most climates, this allows you to shape your tree before new growth starts to appear.
The Spruce / Jayme Burrows
you could also prune during early spring.
It also avoids winter injury, which can occur during an extended deep freeze.
Pruning encourages new spring growth, which supports prolific flowering throughout the bloom season.
Damaged or diseased branches should always be removed, and this can be done at any time.
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Tip
Never remove the growing tips of the main trunk(s) on crepe myrtle.
They have many uses in the landscape including hedges or allees, or foundation and accent plants.
Pruning supports abundant flowering and creates a pleasing form for winter interest by drawing attention to the bark.
What to Do If You’ve Overpruned Crepe Myrtle
Over-pruning crepe myrtle is pretty common.
Tip pruning in summer after the initial flowering period has ended may result in a second bloom.
However, this isn’t reliable and summer pruning can stress the tree and inhibit new growth.
Deadheading can also cause unwanted twiggy growth unable to support flowers the following year.
