Save my crepe myrtle!! - Ask Extension
The recent rain was enough to weigh down and snap a large branch on my full bloom crepe myrtle. What should we do to preserve the health of this gorg...
Knowledgebase
Save my crepe myrtle!! #848335
Asked September 02, 2023, 2:37 PM EDT
The recent rain was enough to weigh down and snap a large branch on my full bloom crepe myrtle. What should we do to preserve the health of this gorgeous tree? The trunk damage is only three to four feet above the base and is over a foot long.
Washington County Oregon
Expert Response
Dear Paula,
Thanks for contacting us about your crepe myrtle. At this point, the best thing to do is to leave it alone. The tree can heal the wound better if you do not use any type of dressing or paint.
Your tree is somewhat sparse and many of the branches have full-size leaves only at the ends. There are a number of possible causes for this kind of poor growth, but my first question would be whether the tree gets adequate sunlight. Crepe myrtles do best in full sun with a minimum of 8 hours per day.
To improve the overall health of the tree, I suggest you remove the ground cover and replace it with about 3 inches of landscapers' woodchips. This will reduce root competition for water and nutrients, and the chips will feed the soil as they decompose. It is also a good idea to add up to 1 inch of finished compost around the tree each year. The compost can be applied at any time, over or under the mulch.
I also suggest you do some judicious pruning just before the new growth begins in early spring. First, prune off the small branch opposite the wound, and the other small limb just above it. This will leave you with the primary trunk which becomes two at the 'V' crotch. Next, remove any branches that cross or rub one another. Finally, remove some of the smallest twigs (those that are smaller than the diameter of a pencil). These twigs should be removed completely; do not leave stubs or half-branches.
Follow the 1/3 rule—don't remove more than one-third of the growth in any one season.
I hope this information is helpful. Please write again if you have more questions.
Thanks for contacting us about your crepe myrtle. At this point, the best thing to do is to leave it alone. The tree can heal the wound better if you do not use any type of dressing or paint.
Your tree is somewhat sparse and many of the branches have full-size leaves only at the ends. There are a number of possible causes for this kind of poor growth, but my first question would be whether the tree gets adequate sunlight. Crepe myrtles do best in full sun with a minimum of 8 hours per day.
To improve the overall health of the tree, I suggest you remove the ground cover and replace it with about 3 inches of landscapers' woodchips. This will reduce root competition for water and nutrients, and the chips will feed the soil as they decompose. It is also a good idea to add up to 1 inch of finished compost around the tree each year. The compost can be applied at any time, over or under the mulch.
I also suggest you do some judicious pruning just before the new growth begins in early spring. First, prune off the small branch opposite the wound, and the other small limb just above it. This will leave you with the primary trunk which becomes two at the 'V' crotch. Next, remove any branches that cross or rub one another. Finally, remove some of the smallest twigs (those that are smaller than the diameter of a pencil). These twigs should be removed completely; do not leave stubs or half-branches.
Follow the 1/3 rule—don't remove more than one-third of the growth in any one season.
I hope this information is helpful. Please write again if you have more questions.
This was so very helpful! Thank you. We bought the property about six months ago and the prior owners definitely liked to try a lot of "full sun" plants and trees in our very shady backyard! It sounds like this one could make it if we make the surroundings more hospitable and do some pruning.
Thanks again.
Paula
