Pruning, Crape Myrtles

When is it a good time, and how do I prune Crape Myrtles?

Crape Myrtles should be pruned in late winter or early spring prior to new growth.  It is important to use the tools and techniques described in the following educational web sites. Crape myrtles generally require a minimum amount of pruning when properly chosen and maintained. Because crape myrtles are summer-blooming trees, producing flowers from new wood or current season stems, the proper time to prune is late winter or early spring prior to new growth.  Remove dead, diseased, broken, crossing, and rubbing branches.  Use shrub pruning techniques in publications cited.

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