Friday, January 6, 2012

Last summer I planted a crape Myrtle. It has one trunk. I want multiple?

How do I promt multiple trunks? Cara

Last summer I planted a crape Myrtle. It has one trunk. I want multiple?
I would do nothing, short of watering it and providing general care. The crepe myrtle will, over time, generate additional babies with several shoots to them. I have so many now, I give away small plantings every spring.
Reply:Davesgarden.com gives good info.Apparently the crape myrtle does not like to be pruned.
Reply:As it grows it will develop into a beautiful multiple stemmed tree on its own accord. If you cut it, particularly down low you will just end up with a multistemmed shrub. This used to happen in the 1950/60s. We call them granny trees in our family, old people used to cut them down to where they could reach easily from the ground so they were tidy or for more flowers (a fallacy). They just ended up with an ugly gnarled shrub. How sad.
Reply:Cut it off about 12--18 inches high. Thin the sprouts that emerge for the number of trunks you wish to have, choosing a well separated arrangement. You probably will have to manage extra emerging shoots for a year or two.


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