Don’t commit ‘Crape Murder.’ Here’s how to properly prune a crape myrtle tree

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: Crape Murder.

We spoke with a local tree expert to settle the “Crape Murder” debate once and for all, learning how we should correctly prune these popular trees.

Note: You may also see the spelling “crepe myrtle,” especially in the South. According to the NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox site, both spellings are acceptable.

Should you cut the entire crown of a crape myrtle?

No, you are not supposed to remove 100% of the crown of your crape myrtle, said Leslie Moorman, a certified arborist and the director of the nonprofit NC Urban Forest Council.

“These trees are so adaptable that they can handle that kind of intensive pruning, but just because they can handle it doesn’t mean you should do it,” Moorman said.

“What actually happens is after multiple years of removing 100% of the crown, you start to see a decrease in the number of flowers and size of the flowering.”

Because of the tree’s resilience, you likely won’t see this happen after two or three years, but it’ll be more apparent after five to ten.

“I tell people if you want many flowers and large flowers, you’re doing a detriment to the tree by cutting the entire crown like this,” she said.

Proper crape (or crepe) myrtle pruning

▪ How much to prune: Properly prune your crape myrtle by removing 25% of the crown, and no more than 30%, Moorman said. Anything over 30% is considered over-pruning.

“Since these trees can handle that kind of intense pruning, they’re coming back full force year after year for the first few years, so people don’t realize they’re doing it wrong,” Moorman said.

“And they might not realize their tree isn’t at its full potential years later.”

Leaf & Limb, a tree preservation and planting company in the Triangle, offers the following advice for crape myrtle maintenance:

“As the tree ages, prune it regularly using proper techniques. Make clean cuts at the branch collar with sharp tools. Thin out the canopy. Remove dead, crossing, damaged, and conflicting branches. These techniques reduce bulk, increase the health of the plant, and help make it look delightful.”

▪ How to make a proper cut: A proper pruning cut should be made where two branches come to meet one another, and the cut should be made at that union.

Trees have certain chemicals and hormones in their bark to help with wound closure, and this exists primarily where the branch unions are, Moorman said. Trees will properly heal their cuts and cracks there.

If you’re going to cut a branch and leave a stub, and there’s not another branch or bud there, the pruning will never fully close, making the tree more susceptible to insects and diseases.

Check out this YouTube video from Leaf & Limb to see how to properly cut a crape myrtle. You can find it by searching “How to Prune a crape Myrtle, A Step by Step Guide” on YouTube.com.

▪ When to start pruning your crape myrtle: You should start at a very young age, according to Leaf & Limb’s website on proper Crape myrtle maintenance.

Smaller varieties of crape myrtles

Some people over-prune to make the tree smaller.

By cutting all the branches, or by making a cut at a spot where another bud isn’t coming off a limb, you’re only doing a detriment to your tree.

“People say they cut the whole crown to make the tree smaller. I say to that: Get a different variety of the crape myrtle,” Moorman said.

Crape myrtle pruning resources

Use the following resources to help answer your crape myrtle pruning questions.

▪ NC Urban Forest Council: Visit ncufc.org/proper-pruning.php.

▪ NC State Extension: Search “How Do I Prune Crape Myrtle?” on ces.ncsu.edu.

▪ Leaf & Limb: Search “Crape Myrtles: A tale of love, murder, and proper pruning” on leaflimb.com. Another resource can be found by searching “Tree Care for Crape Myrtles” on the group’s website.

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