Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
nannerbelle

Crepe Myrtle Question

nannerbelle
10 years ago

Hey all, got a question on behalf of my Mother in Law. She has some nice Crepe Myrtles in her yard in Monroe NC, both White and Red. She is having a problem with her Red ones. She has got tons of buds but they aren't blooming out. Her white ones are going nuts, she said she has one so heavy with blooms she don't know if it will come back upright after they are gone. But my question is how can she get these red ones to go ahead and bloom out to full blossoms? She did go ahead and feed them Phosphorous in February, but it doesn't seem to be helping the red ones. I"m a Crepe Myrtle novice so any help would be most appreciated.

Comments (6)

  • chas045
    10 years ago

    I'm surprised no one else has responded. I have whites and colored types. They always bloom, but none of them are blooming yet. When you posted, I hadn't seen any blooming anywhere, but yesterday I saw some colored ones in full bloom. Mine are still not blooming. I suppose conditions vary widely. I wouldn't worry, these plants are VERY hardy.

  • brenda_near_eno
    10 years ago

    Sun amount. Just wait.

  • nannerbelle
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks folks, I'm a total novice about them. My Mother in Law is close to tears over the fact they weren't blooming. I'll tell her to settle down and wait.

  • trianglejohn
    10 years ago

    Different varieties bloom at different times. There are some white ones that bloom way earlier than the other colors. If you have to have them all in bloom at the same time you need to buy them in bloom at the same time. They keep coming up with new ones and some of them will bloom pretty much all summer. Around my neighborhood there are white ones that bloom in June and white ones that bloom up til first frost.

    My red ones aren't open yet and my watermelon pink one's haven't opened either.

  • nannerbelle
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks John, I think her biggest issue is they aren't behaving like she wants them to. She is in her 80's and very demanding about how she wants things to be. I've spoke with her and delivered the above advice but she is just furious with them because they aren't blooming when she wants them to. Thank Goodness I wasn't the one who suggested she plant them. I'm sure most of you who have elderly relatives understand what I mean here. If she has them taken out I may go rescue them. Other than that I'm backing out of the room. LOL They are very nice examples of Crepe Myrtle. Thank you all so much for your advice and recommendations!!

  • trianglejohn
    10 years ago

    I mis-spoke, my watermelon pink one is just starting to open. Next door neighbors pale pink ones are fully open now. My short deep red one doesn't show any signs of blooms.

    Most crape myrtles are a mixture of a few species, so just because the bloom colors might be the same the genetics involved could be different. The breeders are trying to get them to bloom longer and not suffer with powdery mildew.

    At least your mother's primary complaint is with a plant and that it isn't blooming at the right time - things could be so much worse. My mother wouldn't step foot outdoors and couldn't tell the difference between a crape myrtle or a dandelion.

Sponsored
HEMAX Construction Services & Landscaping, LLC
Average rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars34 Reviews
Innovative & Creative Landscape Contractors Servicing VA