I suppose many people who are over-pruning think that the more new wood they produce the more new flowers they will get. That is errant thinking because very heavy pruning can lead to a multitude of problems and the treeıs diminished health. The vigorous new growth off the “knuckles” is weakly attached and prone to snap in bad weather. This in turn makes the trees more susceptible to insects and diseases. Professional crape growers will tell you that lighter prunings bring satisfactory results. They will also tell you that there are really only three basics things need to be remember during the pruning season:

1.  Remove any weak or dead looking limbs.
2.  Remove water sprouts and crisscrossing wood.
3.  Finally, the only absolute pruning you must do to encourage better blooms this year, is to remove any of the old seed pods from the tops of the crapes.

A lot of people have asked me over the years, how these plants got their names. The name is derived from the crinkled and ruffled petals (which resemble crape paper) on the end of the long, slender claw and the resemblance of the leaves to the true myrtle. The plant is native to China where the people have cultivated it since time immemorial, and during the Tıang Dynasty (A.D. 618-906) it was a favorite ornamental tree extensively planted in the palace gardens of the emperor and around official buildings. Its botanical name is the Lagerstroemia. But I donıt know too many people that have actually ever called it by its botanical name.

Caring for Crapes is actually quite easy. Yes they do get some fungal diseases and pest problems, but Iıve rarely ever seen where one of those problems actually killed a crape myrtle. And to that end, even though I donıt want you to participate in the Annual Crape Myrtle Massacre, Iıve never seen over-pruning kill a crape either. They are absolutely the most resilient landscape shrub/tree we can include in our landscapes. Feeding the Crape Myrtle is quite easy as well. Everything from Rose Food to Bloom Boosters works on these hardy specimens. Personally, I like the idea of feeding crapes Systemic Rose Food, once a month beginning in April, to help fight off any insect problems. The one serious fungal problem that crapes suffer from is White Powdery Mildew, usually early in the spring. This can normally be prevented with systemic fungicides such as Kocide or Mancozeb. And it can be washed away quite easily and semi-cured with the fungicide known as Consan. Plus, there are number of varieties (listed later) that are resistant to White Powdery Mildew. However, even those varieties that report resistance to White Powdery Mildew, often get the disease if the plant does not have good air circulation around it.

The summer is actually the best time to buy crapes, so you can see the blooms, and know what youıre getting. But buying the right crape myrtle for the right spot is even more important. Crapes come in a variety of varieties. What I mean is, that they come in wide range of mature heights. Pruning to reduce size will lead you to the CRAPE MYRTLE MASSACRE discussed earlier. So, to help you towards that end, here is a list of recommended varieties based on their mature height. Finally, before the list, there is a new Crape Myrtle Society that has formed. If you canıt get enough of these versatile landscape plants, you might want to think about joining this brand new group which just formed this past summer, and is based right here in Texas. Here is their Web site for more information: