Crape Myrtle tree cracks
Sum
two years. After hurricane Irene pass thru most of the leaves wilted
and fell off. Now that most of the branches are visible without the
leaves I noticed that some main branches have hair line cracks on them.
These are cracks 1/8" in width along the length of the branches. Some
branches have them some do not. I know that some Crape Myrtles do shred
their barks but this one did not in the last two years. How can I tell
whether the crack is just on the surface, or actually some severe cracks
caused by Irene's strong wind to the point of "almost" breakage? Is
there a way to tell?
Thanks in advance,
Sum
Victoria
can shine the light directly into the crack, and someone on the other side can
see if they view light coming through. If this is an important specimen plant,
I'd call someone (certified arborist) who can sure up the tree and take care
to treat any areas which are prone to pathogen carrying vectors. However, the
good news is that, most trees will heal themselves in a season or so. There is
a website which has something called "sick tree goop." It sounds funny, but
this is an organic procedure and it truly does work, I've seen it work with my
own eyes. Take a look at www.dirtdoctor.com and look for the recipe for tree
goop. What a name for such an important tool! Best of luck. It must be very
hard to see a tree you really like to have potential problems.
Best,
Victoria
Harri85274
refurbish itself in the Spring. This way you don't have to worry about cracks
in the old branchs. You would be rewarded with larger flowers too.
Harri85274
Sum
My Queen's Crape Myrtle is truly a tree, not a "shrub" variety. I saw one at the
nusery I bought
it from at 40 feet high. It forms a canopy and spread quite wide and has a
single thick trunk.
I cannot prune it to the ground, the trunk is about 8" in diameter now.
Sum
Marion Margoshes
>
> Regardless, Crape Myrtles can be pruned down almost to the ground, and
> refurbish itself in the Spring. This way you don't have to worry about cracks
> in the old branchs. You would be rewarded with larger flowers too.
-- Does this apply to all zones that crepe myrtle can grow in or is it
limited to warmer climes?
==Pisces
m...@panix.com
Bill Snodgrass
Marion Margoshes wrote:
--
Bill Snodgrass
Operator, Blackthumb Bob's Gardening Tips and Humor
____________________________________________
Writing from outside Memphis, TN (Zone 7)
Blackth...@retrorock-it.com
"...Observe how the lilies of the field grow....
Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these"
(Matt 6:28-29)
Bill Snodgrass
Myrtles which can grow to be at least 20 feet tall, but want them to look like some
little compact shrub. Thus, they prune them like mad. However, the "tree form"
seems to be fashionable so instead of cutting them back to the ground and letting
them be bushy, they cut away all but the two or three largest trunks. After a few
years, the result is what looks like three poles stuck in the ground. In spring
and summer, the sprout hundreds of thin, wispy branches which bloom.
Kind of weird.
... but the plant is a hardy one and puts up with this and about any other pruning
without a fuss.
Victoria wrote:
> On Mon, 25 Oct 1999 19:15:12 -0400, Marion Margoshes <m...@panix.com> wrote:
>
> >Harri85274 wrote:
> >>
> >> Regardless, Crape Myrtles can be pruned down almost to the ground, and
> >> refurbish itself in the Spring. This way you don't have to worry about cracks
> >> in the old branchs. You would be rewarded with larger flowers too.
> >
> >-- Does this apply to all zones that crepe myrtle can grow in or is it
> >limited to warmer climes?
> > ==Pisces
> > m...@panix.com
>
> I have no desire to be argumentative, but pruning crape myrtles to the nubs, the
> way they do down here, is a most useless way of spending energy. There is no
> evidence that flowering is any better, or larger when pruning is done to the
> point of mutilation. Queen's myrtles are trees, much different. Marion, if you
> have a crape myrtle, don't waste time pruning it like that. Deadheading does
> the exact same thing with regard to blooms.
>
> Victoria
Marion Margoshes
>
> Definitely true through zone 7. More or less true in S. Illinois (zone 6).
>
>
> > Harri85274 wrote:
> > >
> > > Regardless, Crape Myrtles can be pruned down almost to the ground, and
> > > refurbish itself in the Spring. This way you don't have to worry about cracks
> > > in the old branchs. You would be rewarded with larger flowers too.
> >
> > -- Does this apply to all zones that crepe myrtle can grow in or is it
> > limited to warmer climes?
> > ==Pisces
> > m...@panix.com
>
> Bill Snodgrass
> Operator, Blackthumb Bob's Gardening Tips and Humor
> ____________________________________________
> Writing from outside Memphis, TN (Zone 7)
> Blackth...@retrorock-it.com
>
> "...Observe how the lilies of the field grow....
> Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these"
> (Matt 6:28-29)
>
> http://www.retrorock-it.com/Blackthumb
--
Thank you. I am in zone 6 and never prune my 12 year old one. I
planted another this year, and I may try to shape this one. but not
drastically. ==Pisces
m...@panix.com
Marion Margoshes
>
> On Mon, 25 Oct 1999 19:15:12 -0400, Marion Margoshes <m...@panix.com> wrote:
>
> >Harri85274 wrote:
> >>
> >> Regardless, Crape Myrtles can be pruned down almost to the ground, and
> >> refurbish itself in the Spring. This way you don't have to worry about cracks
> >> in the old branchs. You would be rewarded with larger flowers too.
> >
> >-- Does this apply to all zones that crepe myrtle can grow in or is it
> >limited to warmer climes?
> > ==Pisces
> > m...@panix.com
>
> way they do down here, is a most useless way of spending energy. There is no
> evidence that flowering is any better, or larger when pruning is done to the
> point of mutilation. Queen's myrtles are trees, much different. Marion, if you
> have a crape myrtle, don't waste time pruning it like that. Deadheading does
> the exact same thing with regard to blooms.
>
> Victoria
-- I believe that. My crepe myrtle has been very happy all these
years. The old one is still blooming now!!!
==Pisces
m...@panix.com
Victoria
Harri85274
the best of my knowledge, a perennial shrub. In the North where I am, it sheds
its leaves in the fall. South it grows all year around. I know you can prune it
into a single trunk as a tree, if you so choose. I'd check it out to make sure
it is NOT a shrub, but i have my doubts.
BTW, even 'trees' can be pruned.:)
Victoria
varieties are dwarf. Dwarf meaning they grow to approx. 6 feet. The ordinary
specimen myrtle is considered a small tree which can get to 25 feet. They do not
grow all year in the south, though I am in the central south. I've been in the
south and they don't always grow in winter. They are victim as all deciduous
trees are to photosynthesis slowing down when the sun lowers in the sky.
victoria
Marion Margoshes
-- How do you define "tree" and how do you define "shrub". If my crepe
myrtle does not have an obvious central trunk, is it a shrub?
==Pisces
m...@panix.com
Sum
as I saw it at the nusery, it would have been a 40 foot tall shrub with a central
trunk 36" in diameter.
Sum
Harri85274
6 to 9 feet, that is why about every 2 to 3 years I cut it down to about 2 feet
in the Spring, and am blessed with larger flowers each time i do it. And to the
bargain I seldom if at all fertilize. The sticker that came with it saids that
it is a shrub and hardy to -O degrees, which is almost impossible to get here
even in its worst time of Winter.
Victoria
>-- How do you define "tree" and how do you define "shrub". If my crepe
>myrtle does not have an obvious central trunk, is it a shrub?
> ==Pisces
> m...@panix.com
In the case of Lagerstroemia indica, the tree form grows to 25' and stops. It
can have multiple leaders, same as a white birch can have multiple leaders.
Both the dwarf and tree sized forms are both L.indica. They call the dwarf a
shrub because of its size and form. I needs to be pruned to maintain its small
height and form. It is never necessary or good to prune back to nubs. After
the first bloom of either form, you can prune the top to get a second flush of
bloom. In that case, the better way to do that is to individually pinch out
spend blooms. In winter, leave the blooms on as the seed pods add interest to
the winter garden. All forms are native to China and are deciduous.
V
Bill Snodgrass
from L. indica]
L. speciosa is a deciduous, round tree with height of 50 - 70 feet. It is frost
tender in zone 9 - 10, with mod to deep green leaves etc.
L. indica is smaller, deciduous, more hardy, growing to different height in its (at
least) 24 varieties! (ranging from 3 to 40 feet, mostly around 15 -25 feet)
L fauriei (Japanese Crepe myrtle) grows to 20 - 30 feet tall, is often used to make
the commercial L. i. hybrids.
<Now, I need to go, happy that everyone in this thread was right!>
Marion Margoshes wrote:
> Victoria wrote:
> >
> > Crape myrtle's are trees not shrubs, and some are dwarf. The more commonly sold
> > varieties are dwarf. Dwarf meaning they grow to approx. 6 feet. The ordinary
> > specimen myrtle is considered a small tree which can get to 25 feet. They do not
> > grow all year in the south, though I am in the central south. I've been in the
> > south and they don't always grow in winter. They are victim as all deciduous
> > trees are to photosynthesis slowing down when the sun lowers in the sky.
> >
> > victoria
> >
> > On 26 Oct 1999 12:52:43 GMT, harri...@aol.com (Harri85274) wrote:
> >
> > >Are you sure about that? I know you can grow them as a 'tree', but they are to
> > >the best of my knowledge, a perennial shrub. In the North where I am, it sheds
> > >its leaves in the fall. South it grows all year around. I know you can prune it
> > >into a single trunk as a tree, if you so choose. I'd check it out to make sure
> > >it is NOT a shrub, but i have my doubts.
> > >BTW, even 'trees' can be pruned.:)
>
> -- How do you define "tree" and how do you define "shrub". If my crepe
> myrtle does not have an obvious central trunk, is it a shrub?
> ==Pisces
> m...@panix.com
--