As a proud Crape Myrtle owner, part of your gratification is its vibrant, long-lasting blooms in spring and summer.
However, it is possible to extend its blooming season with a light pruning. If your Crape Myrtle has about 15-20% blooming branches left while the older blooms have produced berries, it’s time to cut the berries off and give the tree a trim to encourage new growth. Crape Myrtles grow fast, so don’t worry about “hurting” it.
The following are suggestions for how much to trim to encourage new growth and blooming based on tree size:
Crape Myrtle Height:
2-4’: trim berries off only
4-8’: trim 1-2″ off
10-14’: trim 4″ off
14-18’: trim 6-8″ off
We also recommend following up with fertilization after trimming to intensify the next round of gorgeous flowers!