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Alabama Gardening

cutting back crepe mrytles

16 years ago

That cold snap that we had at the beginning of April, made the leaves on my newly planted crepe mrytles turn brown. Although they have new growth shooting up from the bottom, I want to know if the old limbs will get new growth back on them. They do not look like they will but my azaleas and other bushes that looked the same have now come back. Thanks for your help. Cindy

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Comments (3)

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
16 years ago
I doubt that your newly planted Crapemyrtles will regrow. Established trees are slowly coming back, but I have seen some of those with a lot of die-back, too.

I'd cut your Crape back to the new growth and let it start from scratch.
cindylou111
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks Rhizo, I didn't think they would and since this is my first year living in NE Al I had not experience this type of thing before. Cindy
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
16 years ago
This was a very unusual event for N Alabama, believe me!

The freezing temperatures at that time of year are not at ALL odd, but rather the very warm several weeks we had prior to that. All of our plants would have been just fine had that sequence of climate event not happened.

So ALL of us are in a bit of a quandry. The bad thing is, that I strongly suspect that we have yet to see the extent of the damage. Freezes like this cause hidden problems that won't surface for quite some time.

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