No Leaves On Crepe Myrtle Reasons For Crepe Myrtle Not Leafing Out

The number one reason crepe myrtles fail to leaf out in spring is a very cold winter. Crepe myrtle selections vary in their cold-hardiness, but most are hardy to around 0 degrees. Drop below that and they may be killed to the ground or killed entirely.

1. How do I bring my crepe myrtle back to life?
2. How do you know when a crepe myrtle is dying?
3. What is wrong with my crepe myrtle tree?
4. When should my crepe myrtle leaf out?
5. What happens if you don't prune crepe myrtles?
6. What kills crepe myrtle?
7. Why will my crepe myrtle not bloom?
8. What is the black stuff on my crepe myrtle?
9. Why would a crepe myrtle die?
10. How often should I water my crepe myrtle?
11. Are you supposed to cut back crepe myrtles?
12. Can you overwater a crape myrtle?
13. What is best fertilizer for crepe myrtles?
14. How do I get my crepe myrtle to bloom?
15. Do crepe myrtles bloom more than once?
16. Is there a difference between a crepe myrtle bush and tree?
17. Where do you cut back crepe myrtles?
18. How deep are crepe myrtle roots?
19. How do I stop my crepe myrtle from growing at the bottom?
20. Will vinegar kill crepe myrtle?
21. How close can I plant a crepe myrtle to my house?

How do I bring my crepe myrtle back to life?

Cut off the dead top and let the shoots grow. They'll grow faster than a congressman's nose. Select 4-5 well-spaced ones to become the new main trunks and cut off the rest. Your crepe myrtle will grow back free-of-charge and may even bloom this summer.

How do you know when a crepe myrtle is dying?

Using Scratch Test to determine a Dead Crape Myrtle

Scratch the lower base of the stem and if it's green it is still alive. If it's not, it may still be alive, but you'll have to wait awhile before you know for sure. A really cold winter may have of killed the top growth, but the roots may still be alive.

What is wrong with my crepe myrtle tree?

Crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica) are essentially trouble-free small trees. The most common problems include powdery mildew, Cercospora leaf spot, aphids, Japanese beetles, and sooty mold.

When should my crepe myrtle leaf out?

Are you wondering why your crape myrtle appears to be dead and not leafing out? The simply answer is that often they will not leaf out until mid-May. Once those lovely green leaves start to appear, that is when you want to carefully prune.

What happens if you don't prune crepe myrtles?

Flowers are not the only virtue of this tree. Many varieties have beautiful bark and growth habits that can be enjoyed all year if trees are not heavily pruned. This unsightly, ugly pruning known as crape murder is not recommended. Once it's done, it ruins the tree's graceful natural shape for the rest of its life.

What kills crepe myrtle?

Triclopyr. Triclopyr-based herbicides cause supressed or abnormal growth that disrupts and eventually kills the crape myrtle. The herbicide may be applied to the foliage, the roots, or both. As with other broadleaf herbicides, crape myrtle trees absorb the poison and circulate it, causing the tree to die.

Why will my crepe myrtle not bloom?

If there are no flowers on crepe myrtle, it could be that the tree was pruned late in the season, causing the new wood to be mistakenly removed, which causes the buds for the flowers to never really develop. Never prune a crepe myrtle before it blooms. ... Crepe myrtle bloom time is just after the other flowering trees.

What is the black stuff on my crepe myrtle?

Sooty mold is the black, crusty material that encompasses the leaves during the growing season. ... Sucking insects, such as aphids and scales, are attracted to crape myrtles and will suck the leaves for plant juices. As they digest the plant nutrients, they excrete a very sugary substance that we call honeydew.

Why would a crepe myrtle die?

Late last summer, rainy weather caused a massive outbreak of Cercospora leaf spot, a fungal disease. It caused the leaves of crape myrtles to turn yellow, orange or red and fall from the tree. Many trees were completely defoliated in late summer.

How often should I water my crepe myrtle?

To prevent the plant from dying, it must be watered once a week. Be sure to soak the entire root system deeply, this will take about 45-60 minutes. For best growth and production, crape myrtle should receive at least one inch of water a week. During dry spells, water is mandatory.

Are you supposed to cut back crepe myrtles?

If you do choose to prune your crepe myrtles, pruning should take place in mid-February to avoid winter injury. Pruning should be done only to shape the tree; not to severely control plant height. ... The seed heads from last year can remain on the plant all year, and you will still get good blooming in the current year.

Can you overwater a crape myrtle?

Watering Issues

You may water anytime the soil is not frozen in winter, if necessary. Overwatering crape myrtles in spring and summer can diminish flowering, since overly moist soil promotes leafy growth, not flower production.

What is best fertilizer for crepe myrtles?

To maximize spring growth and summer bloom, gardeners should fertilize their crape myrtles in early spring just prior to new growth. Fertilizers like 8-8-8, 10-10-10, 12-4-8 or 16-4-8 will work fine and are ideal for crape myrtles but you shouldn't go over board.

How do I get my crepe myrtle to bloom?

Crape myrtles need to have new growth each spring in order to produce summer flowers. These flowers come on current-season growth, so late winter/early spring fertilization can aid crape myrtle flowering in the summer. It is not too late to fertilize this year if you haven't yet.

Do crepe myrtles bloom more than once?

Many varieties of crape myrtles can be encouraged to bloom a second time, but timing is important. Deadheading crape myrtles (removing dead or dying flowers) encourages new sprouts and blooms, but if you deadhead too late in the season, the tender new growth that is produced can be damaged by cold weather.

Is there a difference between a crepe myrtle bush and tree?

What's the difference between a crape myrtle tree and a crape myrtle bush? The only difference is the mature size. ... The best way to identify a specific variety or species of crepe myrtle is to note all its characteristics, including mature size, flower color, fall color, growth habit (tree or shrub) and bark color.

Where do you cut back crepe myrtles?

Cut off suckers from the bottom, rubbing and cross growing branches and branches growing inward. Gradually cut off all side branches from the main base as the tree gets taller. Never leave lone or clustered stubs. Be sure to remove unwanted branches before they get too thick (thickness of a pencil).

How deep are crepe myrtle roots?

The root system should be dug roughly half as deep as the width of the "ball," deeper is good, but you'll get most of the major roots going, say, 10 to 12 inches.

How do I stop my crepe myrtle from growing at the bottom?

Leave a tree alone and eventually most will send up lots of shoots from the base and turn into something more akin to a large shrub. To maintain a pleasing tree shape, we regularly remove these shoots - called suckers - from the base of the trunk. Remove suckers regularly as soon as they appear.

Will vinegar kill crepe myrtle?

To remove suckers at the base of a trunk, use a hatchet to hook around the suckers and pull them off. ... Using Epsom salt & vinegar to help with trunk. ( I can't grind b/c of location.) The only way to kill a crepe myrtle is to have the stump removed.

How close can I plant a crepe myrtle to my house?

As a general rule of thumb, plant crape myrtles of this mature size a minimum of 8 to 10 feet from a building wall, and farther if you can. This spacing gives the plant room to expand to its full size.