How to Trim Crepe Myrtles the Right Way

Tree-Form Crepe Myrtles

• 1

  Locate any thin sprouts that emerge from the base of the tree and the soil directly near the base of the trunk and cut them off flush with the soil or with the trunk. Then prune off additional sprouts that emerge out of the trunk from the ground up to the base of the canopy.

• 2

  Examine the top of the trunk where the vertical limbs emerge, and find any limbs that grow inward or cross another branch. Prune off all of these limbs at the top of the trunk using loppers or a hand saw.

• 3

  Follow the tips of all of the remaining limbs backward toward the trunk until they are only 1/2 inch in diameter. Cut all limbs off at that point, using loppers or hand pruners. Make the cut 1/4 inch above a side stem to disguise it.

Shrub-Form Crepe Myrtles

• 4

  Find any vertical stems on the crepe myrtle shrub that are broken or causing damage to other stems by rubbing against them. Trace the stems back to the ground and cut them off flush with the soil using hand pruners or loppers.

• 5

  Determine if the base of the crepe myrtle shrub is too wide. To control the spread of the shrubs, trim off some of the outer stems at the surface of the soil using hand pruners. Cut some from both sides of the shrub so that it is not lopsided.

• 6

  Cut all remaining stems back to any desired height using pruning shears. If you have a maximum height in mind for the shrub, cut the stems back at least 2 feet shorter than the height, since pruning encourages rapid growth in the spring.