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scgardener

crepe myrtles not blooming much... is 15 years old 'too old'?

scgardener
18 years ago

I think I've heard it said of crepe myrtles that they don't have long lives. Do I just need to think about replacing mine?

Thanks!

Comments (5)

  • scd_nc
    18 years ago

    Well, my folks had 2 in their garden (Wilmington) that were estimated to be around 100 yrs old, (30-36" diameter - beautiful!) which still bloomed.

  • _sophiewheeler
    18 years ago

    Are encroaching trees limiting the amount of sun they get? What about your pruning techniques?

  • louannie
    18 years ago

    I had two HUGE crepe myrtles in the yard of my last house (rented)...they were the biggest c.m.'s I've ever seen, even compared to south LA or Natchez, MS. They had to be 100 years old. But they didn't bloom much. They did need a good pruning, and I never supplemented their water.

    Here in my current home (mine, not rented, woo hoo!) there are some that were already planted. I don't know how old they are, but not young. I would estimate anywhere from 20-40, maybe more. The people who owned this house before me lived here for 50 years and probably planted them soon after moving here.

    The ones that are in the open bloom the most. The ones that are next to a fence between here and the neighbor's yard have several trees encroaching upon them and can't grow like they should. Just wait till I get my hands on a chain saw...those trees along the fence line are TOAST! lol (The neighbor won't mind, we've discussed it, they are volunteer trash trees.) But they DO get more water because I have made a shrub/perennial border all around them, and their blooms are larger than the others, thought fewer because of limited sunlight.

    I believe crepe myrtles are long-lived and that is not the problem. I would check sun, pruning, or water. Do a search on pruning crepe myrtles on this forum to avoid being advised to "crepe murder" them!

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    18 years ago

    Declining crape myrtles can often be revived by proper pruning. This involves removing some of the excess clutter and opening the interior of the plant to more sunlight and air circulation. It also enhances the natural beauty of the tree by emphasizing the primary branch structure. Proper pruning is a thoughtful process and does not have anything to do with hacking the tops out of the trees.

    I prefer to do this type of pruning in the dormant season so that I can see the skeleton of the tree better. Most of this type of pruning can be done with good hand pruners. Loppers may be needed for a larger branch or two.

    Another highly beneficial thing for your crape myrtle is mulch. Applying a 3 to 4 inch layer of organic mulch in a wide swath around the tree (but not piled up on the trunk) is one of the best things you can do, bar none.

    Crapes do not have a high fertilization requirement, so if they sit in the middle of a lawn that is routinely fertilized, that may be part of the reason for lack of flowering.

    We're just guessing here, since we don't know a thing about your situation or the site in particular.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Pruning technique

  • PeaBee4
    18 years ago

    The ones that don't last long are usually those that have been hacked back to nubs every Spring. This makes them a target for disease. A healthy specimum can last a long, long time.
    PB

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