Those crepes have been around awhile. I don't know that I would try to shape them into trees at this late date. If you do any pruning, I would suggest doing it in the winter but I don't think that you will hurt anything by clipping now. The orange leaves--well you will be getting more of them as it is getting that time of the year for them.

Stephanie, unnamed crape myrtle varieties are a real challenge to turn into shapely trees. But the trick is to remove those suckers as soon as you see them, not letting them grow and sap energy from the rest of the plant.

I am curious as to why you feel it necessary to remove the seed pods. I've always considered them an interesting winter feature and very ornamental. They will fall off on their own as new growth emerges in the spring.

Just curious, that's all.

Thanks! I was removing seedpods because an article I read (I believe it was in Southern Living) said that removing the seedpods could yield a second bloom in late summer/early fall, but I am beginning to believe that it is rather too late for that.

That puts a lot of needless stress on a plant that needs to be storing energy reserves (carbohydrates) instead of using them up in order to make a second round of flowers.