My crape myrtle trees must have been planted back when the house was built, in 1996. They never bloom until later - maybe July. One is white and two are that purple-pink.

Crape myrtles are wonderfully drought tolerant once established.

Do you prune yours? If you do, what method do you use? Not the topping method where you take all the top growth off, do you?

Thanks for the response. Maybe I am just jumping the gun. I do not prune anything on my CM's except dead branches and the branches that start up on the main trunk. I have read about and see tv shows about "Crepe Murder". Since its been 90+ degrees and I have had ripe tomatoes for about 3 weeks, I guess I mentally think it is mid-summer already!!

My Myrtles are not setting bloom yet either, but they will bloom, in July. Does yours normally bloom this early?

I remember back in 85 when we came in August to look at homes to buy that the crepe myrtles were in full bloom.
I think 85 was the beginning of a 3 year drought.
Our cross the street neighbors myrtles now, that had been murdered in mid April(pre frost) still have barely a sprig of green on them.
They're on a sloped bed in all-day sun while other neighbors who have myrtles on flat ground,not pruned are recovering nicely.
I can tell you from experience that crapes are next to impossible to kill unless they are water deprived.
I had one cut down and the stump ground 6-8" below ground level.
It came back up 2 years later. Simply remarkable!

They'll put out new growth and bloom when it rains. As others have said, it's early yet. And they are one of the most drought tolerant plants for the Southeast.

Crepe Mrytle and Miss Huff lantana - two really good work horses for the Southern garden with this drought. Our CrepeMyrtles suffered bad frost damage but have filled out nicely - my bloom may be off a couple of weeks from last year which I am glad - at least the JB's may be gone by then....

Lynne

Mine has filled out nicely, but the powdery mildew is starting to show up again. Does anyone know if spraying with a baking soda/water mixture actually helps control PM on Crepe Myrtles? I read somewhere that it does but I've never tried it.
I don't usually get blooms until mid-summer, but I expect it to be a bit later this year due to the freeze damage.

As far as pruning goes, I've never committed Crepe Murder. I do prune crossing branches, inward growing branches, and any new growth that sprouts up around the bottom of the main trunks.

Renee

The Crepe Myrtle's in Roanoke Rapids are starting to bloom; early; but there are blooms setting in and they are beautiful. My mom has 8-9 huge Crepe Myrtle's in her front yard and the blooms are really starting to pop! (They prune theirs the correct way...too many people here in town committ Crepe Murder).

I saw my first bloom on one of my lavendar crape myrtles this week. This tree is about 20 feet tall, and it was way up high.

I saw some blooming in Smithfield this week too. Depending on the weather and location crape myrtles can start in June or July and repeat again in August. Mine aren't blooming yet, but no worries. I was at the Arboretum a couple weeks ago and the garden there looked as though it was a whole month ahead! The crape myrtles weren't blooming yet but may be by now. I'm pretty sure my crape myrtles are just waiting for more rain.