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California Gardening

Crape myrtle 'Petite Orchid' -- train into a small tree?

12 years ago

Just planted a 1 gal. "Petite Orchid" crape myrtle, which is supposed to be a vigorous, multi-branched shrub, five feet tall. Just wondering if anyone has had any success training one into a small, single branched tree (by selecting a single leader at an early stage)? I must say this plant looks like it very much wants to be multi-branched.

RB

Comments (2)

calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
12 years ago
Last year I cut two of my single trunk crape myrtles off at four feet, because they were too tall and looked out of place in my landscape. I will keep them under 8 feet, with multi trunks. These were already pruned to the lolly pop shape when they came from the nursery. All my others are the natural growth habit and more attractive to me. I am not familiar with your named variety. Al
jenn
12 years ago
I'm training our Zuni crape myrtles into multi-trunk trees because that's how they naturally want to grow. I don't know if any CM wants to grow into a single-trunk tree.
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