
The trunk of a crape myrtle after it has been cut back severely
Karen Russ, HGIC
Yes! This is a common, but poor method of pruning the beautiful crape myrtle tree. Horticulturists call this type of pruning “crape murder”. To learn how and when to properly prune crape myrtles, see HGIC 1009, Crape Myrtle Pruning.
Page maintained by: Home & Garden Information Center
This information is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service is implied. All recommendations are for South Carolina conditions and may not apply to other areas. Use pesticides only according to the directions on the label. All recommendations for pesticide use are for South Carolina only and were legal at the time of publication, but the status of registration and use patterns are subject to change by action of state and federal regulatory agencies. Follow all directions, precautions and restrictions that are listed.