Prune crape myrtles in late winter to encourage strong new growth and flower production. Avoid pruning in spring, summer, or fall to prevent cutting off new flowers and stressing the tree. Never top ...

The term “crape murder” describes the practice of drastically cutting back a crape myrtle, often removing large limbs or even ...

There are few summer sights more iconic than a crepe myrtle in full bloom. In colorful hues like pink, violet, and red, crepe myrtles are a favorite of gardeners looking for a low maintenance ...

Don't let old growth see another spring.

This improperly pruned crape myrtle tree has undergone “crape murder,” which is when the entire crown of the crape myrtle tree is cut off. Courtesy of Leaf & Limb, a Raleigh-based tree care company ...

Somehow, the belief that crape myrtles should be brutally pruned by cutting off their tops persists, even though it's inaccurate. Crape murder is a term that has been coined to describe this severe ...

Years of improper pruning have taken their toll on this crape myrtle tree. (Alan Windham, University of Tennessee) QUESTION: While visiting a local mall, I noticed the crape myrtles had all been cut ...

Too often, crape myrtles are cut back to bare trunks because this abuse will yield more flowers. This type of severe pruning results in a shorter bloom time, delayed flowering, weaker branching and ...

Q: Should I remove the seedpods off my crape myrtles? What about cutting them back in general. A: No, and NO! In fact, you should not remove much of anything from the tops of your crape myrtles. I see ...

Now’s the time of year you’re most likely to see naked crape myrtle trees, the unfortunate consequence of improper wintertime pruning. The practice has even been given a not-so-affectionate nickname: ...