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When a Crepe Mrytle mysteriously starts growing where a Silver Birch is planted, a novice gardener gets to the bottom of how not to murder a Crepe Myrtle.
It has been four years since I stood in a barren yard and decided to turn it into a wild green oasis. Looking at it now, it is hard to trace the many steps that have been taken in its transformation and although it is far from the oasis I imagine, it is a work in progress that I assess every season.
My initial plan for a jungle get-away complete with Tarzan swinging on a vine, was modified somewhat when I came across a zone chart. Those jungle vines would not grow here and it is not tropical enough to suit Tarzan's life style. Limited by nature’s climate control, I looked around the area to see what was already growing here and decided those might be better choices. The only tree on my property was a giant Holly, growing right smack dab in the middle of the yard. Any project I undertook for this yard would have to take Holly into consideration. At first I felt she was an obstacle to my plans, walkways would have to veer around her, water features would suffer from her falling leaves. The sunniest spots were around the perimeter of her 4feet by 30ft thumbprint. She took up prime real estate in my limited space and I contemplated the cost to have her removed.
One day my 85 year old neighbor leaned over the fence and offhandedly told me;
“I remember when that little bush was planted".
"Little bush? "
"Yea, it was just a little bush that got forgotten over the years, I guess. Next thing you know it was tall as a man and then tall as the house and now taller than you can see by just looking up."
Looking at him I saw the history in his face connected with the history of the tree and the history of this place. Two beings, who had withstood the test of time, who were here long before me, and one of whom would be here long after me. I called the arborist and watched with interest as they gave Holly a good trimming and shaping.
Still not completely giving up on an exotic ornamental tree, I ordered two Japanese Maples to frame the entrance door and as a bonus received a Silver Birch sapling. I planted the Birch on the rectangle next to the curb in front of the house and put a guard fence around it. I watered and fertilized that spring and watched it closely. I imagined it as big as Holly creating a graceful street canopy. After about a month I noticed it had not changed at all. It was not growing, but all around it, were small shoots of red edged stems. As I got on my knees to examine it more closely my octogenarian neighbor came over to see what I was doing. He was somewhat sympathetic to my gardening endeavors as we both had our beginnings in the asphalt boroughs of New York. I pointed out the dried up birch and the green saplings.
“You think the Birch is spreading out and sending up new sprouts?” I asked. “Birch? That’s Crepe Myrtle." “Myrtle Who?”
Exasperated, I sat on the ground and received another history lesson. The story went like this:
"There use to be a huge Crepe Myrtle tree here. Big as those over there." I looked up the street and saw a row of Crepes, 20 feet tall.
"Now, the previous owner had two wives." I raised my eyebrows.
"No, not at the same time! The first wife was always planting something. She had roses and every kind of flower you could imagine around here. Everything was covered in bushes and vines and something was always in bloom. Then she got sick and eventually passed away. Everything got overgrown and weeds took over and the owner in his grief just let it go. After many years he married again and the second wife came in and started clearing everything out. By the time she was finished there wasn’t a bush or tree left except that Holly. They cut down the Crepe to the ground. And it’s been mowed over ever since."
I sympathized with the first wife but the clean and manicured landscaping of the second wife was what had attracted me when I bought it. Still, part of me wanted to see the first wife’s old garden come back so I pulled up the birch and started mowing around the murdered Myrtle. If, after all these years, it decided to grow back, who was I to stand in its way.
Before fall, Myrtle had grown almost six feet tall. Long spindly legs with a bushy top, she did not look regal like her sisters across the street or the ones around the corner which had a coiffed crew cut resembling hedges. The following year its blooms were so heavy that when it rained the branches hung down to the ground in an umbrella effect. I decided she needed some shaping. Taking as an example the crew cut look of the trees around the corner, I tried to cut her straight across the top . Luckily for Myrtle, I did not have the proper tools or height for the job. I wound up cutting off the thinnest branches and all crisscrossing ones and the small shoots near the bottom. She held up somewhat better in her third year but I decided to get professional help to get her on the right path.
I was told I had to make a decision. Tree or Shrub? The cutting process is somewhat different for each. I wanted her to be tall like the other crepes but I thought the manicured look of the crew cuts on the group around the corner looked professional. Well, I was told, he, as a professional would not recommend cutting my Myrtle that way. He could cut it into a bush shape to keep it low but the crew cut or “crepe murder” as this cut is called, would produce a spindly top, unable to support new growth, thus creating the umbrella effect I was trying to avoid. Myrtle had been murdered once and it would not happen again.
Ideally I should have started pruning the first year to train her into a tree form but with some much needed attention she could still grow tall and stately. Here are some guidelines:
1. The time to prune is February-April before new growth begins .
2. Avoid pruning in early fall, after flowering, because this forces new growth which is then susceptible to frost and prevents the tree from going dormant.
3. All the dead stems and crisscrossing branches and inside weak stems are removed. In this, the "natural pruning" method, only the strongest stems are left. All soft new suckers at base of tree should also be removed. This will not reduce the amount of blooms come spring, since blooms grow on new growth.
4. Remove all side branches up to where you want limbs to start.
Proper Improper Murdered Crepe
As with anything else in your landscape, proper maintenance specific to the plant helps ensure a beautiful specimen. This trial and error adventure with my Crepe Myrtle is an experience that will go down in my garden journal under murder mystery solved.
About Joyce B. Gladden
I am a transplanted New Yorker, writer, and novice gardener learning more and more each season. My plant of choice is Coleus (growing to include roses and others as I become more passionate about gardening). Other long time interests include book collecting and quilting.
Posted by tubbyjoe (from Gadsden, AL) on July 24, 2008 at 10:39 AM:
In the spring, I planted five "tonto" crepe myrtles along my driveway. They are now blooming, and I have found out that one is a light pink while the others are dark pink. I would like to move the light pink one. When is the best time of the year to transplant my crepe myrtle?
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Posted by jadajoy (from Newport News, VA) on July 24, 2008 at 8:01 PM:
Tubbyjoe
It is usually best to transplant crepe mrytles in the fall or late winter so the tree has all the winter months to establish a strong root system. This also minimizes transplant shock in hot summer weather.
Hope this helps.
Joyce
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Subject: Mother's Day Crepe Myrtle
Posted by Vipslady (from Sacramento, CA) on October 9, 2007 at 12:41 AM:
My family moved into a new house in 1954. I was in fifth grade. I inherited the house in 1982 and am still living here. My Mother planted a crepe myrtle that is still here and we love it. However, in the back of the lot there was a plant that started to grow when we watered. We kept cutting "this weed" it out. We forgot about it at one point and it kept growing. It turned out to be a beautiful crepe myrtle. It is still growing. One year (probably in the 1960's) I gave my Mother a crepe myrtle for Mother's Day. It might have been this one. We even have home movies of her bringing a flower from the bush. All I know is that the crepe myrtle in the back of the lot was determined to keep living and it will be as long as my family have the property. Carol Swinehart Swanson in Sacramento CA
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Subject: Thanks
Posted by pupilpropogtr (from Birmingham, AL) on October 8, 2007 at 2:58 PM:
I love your writing. Always a great story to begin with then on to the lesson. The symbolism of the tree and neighbor is great and I can 'see' him standing next to the holly. I have a murdered crepe in my backyard and the poor thing must be removed. I just planted a new one and I am glad to know how to prune it now, before it gets to big.
Your friend,
Traci
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Posted by jadajoy (from Newport News, VA) on October 8, 2007 at 4:35 PM:
Thanks Traci
Coming from you, this is a real compliment. Hope your new Crepe grows tall and wide and brings you much joy!
Jadaeoyous
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Posted by pupilpropogtr (from Birmingham, AL) on October 8, 2007 at 5:51 PM:
Me too. I don't think anything will grow tall and wide right now. This weather is killing me.
Traci (who is not in the story :^( so doesn't have a name)
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Subject: Starting an Ireal Garden.
Posted by boswell (from Zachary, LA) on October 8, 2007 at 2:55 PM:
A friend gave me a rather large start of a beautiful ground cover he called Wandering Jew.
Not previously acquainted with it, I was startled to see it's rapid growth - could be called invasive. Found a spot beneath a clump of Live Oaks & Crape Myrtle where nothing else seemed interested in taking root. I placed a border around the area, and called it my Israel Garden into which I transplanted the Wandering Jew. It will soon be a sight to behold.
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Posted by jadajoy (from Newport News, VA) on October 8, 2007 at 4:22 PM:
I love the idea of an Israel Garden! Wandering Jew is indeed a rapid grower and is also a great indoor hanging plant. I might try some under my Crepe :-)
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Posted by Watersdeadtrees (from Valrico, FL) on October 8, 2007 at 7:09 PM:
Hello From Florida, I Loved the story'Crape Myrtle ',Thank You. While driving to the Dr. Office this past spring I noticed that they had removed two very large Crape Myrtle's that where in pretty bad shape. The fire ants added with some kind of fungus had just about destroyed them. Feeling like I must at least try to save them--After getting permission--I took them home. Note: they where at least 5years old. I have an acre of land so I found a spot Far from the rest of my Plants/Trees=Friends just to make sure if they had something fatal it would not be spread to anyone else. I treated their illness aggressively cutting them back to just the strongest limbs then soaking the entire plant/tree with soap and water and gave them a few prayers. I honestly didn't give them much a chance,But to just let them die on the side of the road was not something I could do. After a few months I saw the first bud pooping out of the steam, They have even bloomed ( A little) . I have a good feeling they will be a site to behold next spring.....All I can say is>....Never give up!!
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Posted by jadajoy (from Newport News, VA) on October 8, 2007 at 7:19 PM:
You done Good! wow!
I'm sure they will reward you with beautiful blooms once they fully recover!
I'm impressed.
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Subject: My 'dead' crepe myrtle
Posted by scottsmom (from Bath, PA) on October 8, 2007 at 9:58 AM:
A year ago we purchased a full grown crepe myrtle. It was a beautiful accent plant. Four strong trunks that reached 6' high and when it bloomed, it was glorious. Winter came, winter went. Everything in the yard leafed out but Myrtle. She just stood there. I said give her time, she's a southern belle and may be a late starter. Oops, we were out mowing and bumped one of the trunks, it broke off below ground level. Ditto for the rest. A week later we decided to dig Myrtle up and return her to the place of purchase. She had a one year warantee. My husband started chopping away at the soil and luckily I was out with him. Stop! You're killing her! You guessed it. Those little red shoots were making their way out of the root ball. We now have a shrub that's waist high and covered with blooms. Myrtle doesn't know it yet but she'll be getting a haircut following Dave's instructions.
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Posted by jadajoy (from Newport News, VA) on October 8, 2007 at 10:03 AM:
I'm so glad you were able to save her! They are so resilient they just wont die. I'm guessing you should have a beautiful tree next year. Wait on the haircut till spring and by next summer she will be on her way to becoming one tall regal beauty! Good Luck!
Joyce
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Subject: your murdered crepe myrtle
Posted by sunbug1 (from Todd, NC) on October 2, 2007 at 9:02 AM:
Thoroughly enjoyed your story! It was fun to read, and informative. My dear mother used to love crepe myrtles, and had several in our yard as I grew up....whites and pinks. She tended to them like they were a flock of favorite animals, so I can identify with your story. It wanted to live so badly, but no one would let it even get out of the ground! You saved its' life, and now it is paying you back with its' beauty. You should be proud. Incidentally, you live in a beautiful home as well as having a beautiful lawn. Keep up the good work. Sunbug1
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Posted by carrielamont (from Milton, MA) on October 2, 2007 at 10:33 AM:
I'm always admiring the pictures of other people's crepe Myrtles, and yours are no exception. Beautiful. Up here, I'm afraid it would be too easy to actually murder one, besides which, I seem to have used up the space in the yard. Next lifetime, I'm gonna get one, though. Nice article! But, what happened to the free birch?
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Posted by jadajoy (from Newport News, VA) on October 2, 2007 at 11:13 AM:
Thanks Sunbug1! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I have come to love and appreciate my Crepe and it is growing well now despite its sad history.
Carrie- Thanks! Sorry to say the free Birch was deceased when I pulled it up. It never did take root :-( I hope you get some Crepe for your yard and if nothing else you can always just keep a little shrub sized one. They come in such glorious colors now that I am thinking of adding another to my limited space.
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Posted by carrielamont (from Milton, MA) on October 2, 2007 at 2:30 PM:
But think of the consolation prize!
We really don't have space... at the moment. If the dreams about backyard second patios and garden rooms ever become true, maybe I'll add one then. We have some space that's just generalized LAWN, where it's really too shady for grass and too sunny for shade - we pruned a gigantic monster in the yard into a shape that shade plants do actually grow under and now the sunny space beyond it is more accessible. So I'm not ruling out the possibility altogether!
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Posted by jadajoy (from Newport News, VA) on October 2, 2007 at 3:36 PM:
Sounds like a plan! Good Luck.
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Posted by broncbuster (from Waxahachie, TX) on October 2, 2007 at 3:44 PM:
Great article! Just in time as I just dug up 2 'Dynamite' crepes from my Nana's house (she passed away 3 weeks ago) and am planting them at my house.
I want to see the old Holly!
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Posted by Islandshari (from Kwajalein
(Marshall Islands)) on October 2, 2007 at 4:42 PM:
Joyce, you sure have a talent for a story! I don't know anything about crepe myrtle, but I read your story completely entralled, and then I read again because there were parts I could put to use with my own trees. Thanks once again for an informative and entertaining start to my day!
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Posted by Dea (from Frederick, MD) on October 2, 2007 at 5:35 PM:
What a fun read and so happy your Crepe Myrtle is doing well - it's beautiful!
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Posted by KyWoods (from Melbourne, KY) on October 2, 2007 at 7:55 PM:
I love the way it was written! And I'm happy that the first wife's tree was resurrected by your loving hand.
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Posted by CRice (from Scotch Plains, NJ) on October 8, 2007 at 7:15 AM:
Your article comes at a good time; I just planted 6 crape myrtles this year and would love them all to grow into graceful trees. So it is great to learn how to prune them, especially since they are new, I want to get them started out right. I am also trying to make something out of a neglected yard, I like stories like this!
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Posted by jadajoy (from Newport News, VA) on October 8, 2007 at 10:18 AM:
Thanks CRice. They are so beautiful , you will love them. They are everywhere here in this area and nothing is more gorgeous than driving down a street lined with them. Your six should make an impressive stand in your yard. Just wait till spring to prune them and by summer you'll be greatly rewarded. Good luck on your "neglected" yard. I'm sure you will turn it into a beautiful garden. I have been working on mine for four years and am still discovering new plants and where they grow best in my yard. Its so much fun I practically live outdoors, who woulda thunk it? Me, from The Bronx? I even have an apple tree! Ha.
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Posted by grammyof5 (from Chapel Hill, NC) on October 8, 2007 at 10:53 AM:
What an intriguing headline and an even more inspirational story!
It illustrates the power of Nature's life force: even though it was buried and mowed for so many years, with attention and care it was able to spring forth and fulfill its mission in nature.
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Posted by achaea (from Campobello Island
(Canada)) on October 9, 2007 at 7:04 PM:
A great story; informative and entertaining. I grew up in NC where crepe myrtles grow quite well, we had 2 in our yard and the semicircular drive at my school was lined with them. I hated to see them bloom! To me it meant the end of summer and the start of another school year. Now this memory viewed through layers of many years is still vivid.
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Posted by KyWoods (from Melbourne, KY) on October 9, 2007 at 7:35 PM:
I wish someone would have taken a picture of when a Crepe Myrtle tried to murder me! When I was a kid growing up in New Orleans, our street was lined with them. For some reason, I got the urge to poke my head between two crossed branches, and couldn't get it out. I screamed and cried, and my mother, aunt, and grandmother looked out the window and just cracked up! Then they sent Grampa out to pull the branches apart and set me free. The things we do as kids, huh? LOL
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Posted by wandygirl (from Brookfield, CT) on October 11, 2007 at 8:59 AM:
I fell in love with crape myrtles when we were living in Charlotte, NC. I also learned the term "crape murder" while we were there and would smile and shake my head every time I saw one treated that way. You'd think that with the circulation of that memorable description there would be fewer "victims", but hat-racked and murdered crapes were an all-too-common sight in early spring. I have a pair of watermelon pink flowering crape myrtles flanking my front door here in Connecticut. Even though they are supposed to be hardy enough for my zone 6 garden they will spend the winter in my garage since they are in containers. Thanks for the heartwarming story and the pruning tips. I will keep the pictures for reference!
One final thought: do you know anything about the origin of the "crape" vs. "crepe" spelling?
wandygirl
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Posted by jadajoy (from Newport News, VA) on October 11, 2007 at 10:01 AM:
Wendy,
Glad you enjoyed the article! I had the same question about crepe vs crape. Its called Crepe because the flowers have crinkly petals that resemble the material or paper called Crepe "(which according to Webster is a "light crinkled fabric woven of any of various fibers"). Crape would be a misspelling whose origins I cannot trace but "crepe paper" seems to make more sense than "crape paper" (as one authority amusingly explained :-).
Joyce
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Posted by broncbuster (from Waxahachie, TX) on October 11, 2007 at 10:23 AM:
I guess there are no pics of the old Holly?
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Posted by jadajoy (from Newport News, VA) on October 11, 2007 at 11:26 AM:
sorry Bronc I dont have a pic but will take one for you. I dont hink I can put pics here but will dmail it to you
Joyce
