Should You Trim Crepe Myrtle Trees?

To help keep your crepe myrtle trees in Texas healthy, dense, and pest-free, you should avoid trimming them! These trees don't need to be trimmed to maintain their appearance or good health. Instead, trimming them can do the opposite and cause damage! They won't bloom as much when trimmed and will look thinned out. They'll also become weak and more susceptible to insect infestations like scale, so you want to avoid cutting their branches altogether! Fortunately, crepe myrtle trees don't require an annual trim to keep them looking neat or cared for. While it's a common misconception that all trees should be trimmed annually, that's simply not true. It's important to take into consideration the type of tree you have before trimming. If you have crepe myrtle trees, don't trim them!

Crepe myrtle trees won't bloom as much when trimmed.

When in bloom, crepe myrtle trees boast bright pink, red, purple, or white flowers, making them a great addition to your property. To ensure that these trees bloom, you want to avoid trimming them., That's because trimming them can cause a significant reduction in blooms. What's more, trimming these types of trees will also thin them out, which will take away from their beauty. One of the great things about these trees is that they will bloom without the need for trimming or pruning! In fact, the more you trim them, the less they'll thrive, and the fewer flowers you'll see bloom.

Trimming crepe myrtle trees makes them more susceptible to insects like scale.

Rather than improving the health of the tree, trimming crepe myrtle trees weakens them, making them more susceptible to decay and insect infestations. Scale insects will thrive on trees that are weak and although they might not kill your trees, they can cause a reduction in how many flowers bloom and how large the flower clusters are. Eventually, these insects will make your crepe myrtle trees even weaker and more susceptible to other stressors. To promote good health and insect-free trees, you don't want to trim them but rather invest in tree care services, such as fertilization and preventative disease and insect control.

A common misconception is that you should trim your trees annually to keep them looking neat and cared for.

While many trees don't require trimming on an annual basis to keep them from growing out of control, not every type of tree needs to be trimmed. In fact, it's a very common misconception that all trees need to be trimmed. It's important to take into consideration the type of tree in question before trimming it. For example, trimming crepe myrtle trees won't create a well-manicured look. Instead, it will leave them looking unhealthy, therefore creating the opposite result you're looking for.

Reach out to us today to enroll in our ornamental tree program and let us care for your crepe myrtle trees.

To promote healthy crepe myrtle trees, you should avoid trimming them and enroll in an ornamental tree care program! At Purple Care, we've been in business for 30 years and want to ensure we do things right. Our year-round, comprehensive ornamental tree program consists of fertilization treatments, disease control treatments, and insect control to ensure your crepe myrtle trees are healthy, insect-free, and full of attractive blooms. We offer this service to commercial and residential properties, as well as HOAs, in Fort Worth, TX, and other surrounding areas, such as Arlington and Weatherford. Reach out to us today at (817) 880-6052 to sign up and keep your crepe myrtle trees thriving throughout the year!