On the Coffs Coast there are few autumnal trees/shrubs which is perhaps why Crepe Myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica) hold such swathe in our gardens here. By giving us a beautiful display of Autumn leaves, it is almost a must that our gardens have at least one for their leaf turning burst of colour alone.
Crepe Myrtles thrive in the hot humid conditions and are also drought tolerant to boot. I just love their mottled bark which is so beautiful.
It is not necessary to prune, however some folk would like to know how to cut back their shrubs to promote more new growth. Following are some guidelines.
Pruning know how:
Step 1:
Prune small sprouts at bottom of the tree first. These are called ‘suckers’. Left untrimmed, these will give your crepe myrtle a bush appearance. Suckers can be pulled out when they first sprout or trimmed with a hand pruner. Leave the large, healthy thick trunks to keep growing taller and stronger.
Step 3:
Prune out dead and crossing branches. You can use hand pruners for small, thin branches that you can reach, loppers for branches that are more than 12mm (1/2 inch) thick, or a [pole pruner for thicker or taller branches. Cut branches that are growing at an angle or that detract from the shape you are trying to achieve.