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deafblossom

Crape Myrtle cuttings (propagation)

deafblossom
19 years ago

Hello..

My hubby fall in love with Crape Myrtle when he was sight it everywhere here Arkansas. I am wondering have you tried to cutting Crape Myrtle (porpagation)? Is it grow fast? I could not able to find those shurb for sale in my town. Thank you, Kat

Comments (12)

  • Texarkanaboy
    19 years ago

    Perhaps the link below will have the information on Crape Myrtle propagation you want.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Crape Myrtle

  • deafblossom
    Original Author
    19 years ago

    Hey Texarkanaboy~

    Thank you for a neat link about Crape Myrtle. I am gonna out to hunting to looking for people's Crape Myrtle in their yard who will let me cutting some of their! LOL.. I would like to try it. It said.. it is very easy to propagation. Do you think I can start to propagation it and sitting underlight along with other plants in November for winter? I believe that I can do that.. Thank you again, Kat

  • jayreynolds
    19 years ago

    You have some good grow-lights, Kat, and it should work. What you'll need to do is locate the trees you want now, and return after they go dormant to get the cuttings.

    There is a common misconception about crepe myrtles, that you must 'behead' them every year to get flowers. THIS IS BUTCHERY and really destroys the natural form of the tree.

    What is best is to decidee what form of bush/tree you want, plant it, and basically forget about it. If you get the right size and shape for the site, and plant it where it really belongs, it will be happy, and you won't have to lop off it's head every year, either.

    For example, look at the chart on the link above and see that they come in open arching, broad upright, open, spreading, and even compact globose(like a little ball).

    Logically, if you plant a large spreading tree type between the sidewalk and your house, the thing will get too big, and you'll end up chopping it down every winter, which will result in two things, you;ll end up with either strange looking bare stobs 3-4 feet high to see all winter, which morph into a dense sucker growth each spring and amop-head shape, or just get a tangled vase of suckers coming out of the ground, if you chop it off at the feet.

    Take a look at the photos at the site, they show just how beautiful the various forms of crapemyrtle can be, especially the larger forms, which exhibit beautiful branches and bark during the winter.

    Good luck!

    Here is a link that might be useful: More on the 'Crape Murder'

  • deafblossom
    Original Author
    19 years ago

    Jay.. I am agree with you 100 percent is.. Pick the best what sized of the tree. I really prefer to pick the dwarf, so we can reach and purne dead flowers regularly. I liked the bushy typed. My goal is... To removes all orange ditch daylily by our drive-way and then plant dwarf Crapemyrtle near big cedar tree and forysthia shurbs.It ought to get plenty of sun that spot. I believe I may not find the dwarf types in our hometown, but I am gonna to check the nursery somewhere.

    Thank you for the link of Crapemyrtle Murder. It is very good information.

  • Millie_36
    19 years ago

    Have you tried growing the "Crepe Myrtlette" seeds from Parks. I get very nice plants that bloom the first year from seed. I planted 4 little plants in a large pot and left them there thinking they would freeze out that first winter...they did freeze back some, but three are still there after at least 3 winters. I know these little guys will live over for you with no trouble if planted out in the soil. I have seen one that is about 3 feet tall, so not too large. I could try to get seeds for you from mine, if you like. They seem to come true from seed, because they come up in pots and I see the same colors as the older plants.

    E-mail me from "My Page" link with an address, and I will find instructions for planting to go with them. They are not hard to grow that way.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Park's Crape Myrtlettes

  • deafblossom
    Original Author
    19 years ago

    HI Millie...

    No.. I have never tried to grow CrapeMytrle from seeds! WOW.. The four little plants went through freeze and come back. Yes.. I am very much intersted to have some of your seeds. I sent you email.. Thank you, Kat

  • oakleif
    16 years ago

    This was about to go off the website and since it's same time of year thought someone would be interested like me.

  • durdana
    16 years ago

    Hi Kat,

    Here's a Comparison Chart that might be helpful.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Crape Myrtle

  • JamesY40
    16 years ago

    I have been trying to root cuttings all winter in the greenhouse. They have leafed out but as yet they have yet to form roots. I am still hoping they will. James

  • deafblossom
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Hello durdana and james!

    Durdana, the link of Crape Myrtle is so awesome information! I really liked the "Pink Velour Crepe". It is good sized, not too tall! Well.. I have been tried to grow both root cuttings and seeds. Both were not sucessful for me! sighs.. But.. someone send me rooted and still growing in the pots. I will need to planting by the drive way after April 15th. Here last frost end tends after April 12th. I finally removed all orange ditch daylilies and gave it away at my church! James, let me know if your root cuttings are sucessful for you! Do you know what kind of Crape Myrtle? Good Luck!! Kat

  • JamesY40
    16 years ago

    Kat,

    The crepe myrtles I am trying to root are chickasaw dwarf crepe myrtles. They still have nice leaves but no roots from cutings back in October. James

  • porter1964
    11 years ago

    By accident I have discovered an easy way to porpagate Crape Myrtles..I cut back my Crape Myrtles back during winter so in the Spring I have all of these new shoots..Wait until the shoots get aprox 6 " long and cut some off ..Cut the stem at an angle, having a node and place in potting soil in a pot..Keep moist ..I usually put about 4 per pot..