"Crepe Murder" Pruning Mistakes & Recovery

Crepe myrtles are classic landscaping trees across the South. They are known for their ethereal blooms of pink, red, purple, or white flowers that start in late spring. The crepe myrtle is well-suited for an array of spaces and designs, with varieties ranging from compact shrubs to towering heights of 20 feet or more. There are also standard trunk tree varieties which are also available in different flower colors.

Crepe myrtles are often overpruned in a practice known as 'crepe murder,' which can lead to lasting damage such as excessive epicormic shoots which leads to weak branch attachments as they mature and compromise the tree’s health and appearance. Knowing the signs of overpruning, how to care for crepe myrtle trees, and how to avoid crepe murder will help ensure that your beautiful spring blooms last another year.

What is Crepe Murder?

While pruning a tree is always a good idea for long-term health, crepe murder happens when crepe myrtle trees are overpruned. Overpruning is described as cutting back of main branches or “topping”. Since crepe myrtle trees grow naturally into a pretty form, they don’t need to be trimmed too much.

If overpruned, crepe myrtle trees are weakened, increasing the likelihood of disease and pest infestations, delayed blooming, an unnatural and unattractive shape, and other long-term issues that may require extra care.  

How To Tell If Your Crepe Myrtle Is Overpruned

Crepe myrtles’ blooms are naturally large and long-lasting. If overpruned, crepe myrtle blooms will grow on thinner, weaker branches that can break or droop, especially during spring or summer rain showers.

Overpruning also affects crepe myrtle aesthetics, resulting in unsightly large cuts where trees have been trimmed incorrectly. 

How To Fix Crepe Murder

Good news: crepe murder recovery may be possible! Here are ways to fix crepe murder after overpruning:

• Examine – Check to see if your crepe myrtle has large unsealed cuts at the end of its stumps 
• Remove - Trim the dead wood caused by these large cuts back to live tissue.
• Select - Pick one or two thin shoots growing from the cut end of each branch, and let them be. Trim off the others. Continue pruning this way for a few years. 
• Train - Remove any side or crossing branches that grow from the saved shoots, and train the saved shoots to grow up and out. 

How to Avoid Crepe Murder 

The best way to avoid crepe murder is to know how to care for crepe myrtle trees. Pruning should happen in late February to early March depending on the region you live in, when the tree is dormant, so you can easily see its branches. 

The main objective of pruning a crepe myrtle is to maintain its natural form and produce strong branches that can hold flowers upright, creating its well-known beautiful canopy. Prune branches that are dead, diseased, growing inward, or crossing other branches, and make sure the tree’s canopy is not hanging too low or curving too wide.

So when is it too late to prune crepe myrtles? It’s best to avoid pruning after new growth has sprouted to avoid disrupting the tree’s natural growth cycle or delaying blooms.

Why You Should Hire A Certified Arborist for Pruning

Certified arborists know firsthand how and when to prune most tree species. If you hire a certified arborist, you’ll be certain your tree won’t suffer from overpruning or not being pruned enough. Arborists can also easily identify symptoms of pests and diseases while trimming, providing an extra layer of protection to your backyard asset.

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