A gentleman had damage to his Crape Myrtle from wind during a thunderstorm leaving the tree one-sided and off-balanced. Maybe you’ve had a similar experience, or your Crape Myrtle looks out of whack. Instead of replacing the Crape Myrtle, consider cutting off the trunks to the ground.

There is no need to fret, as an established Crape Myrtle will grow back quickly with several sucker branches. Once the sucker branches gain size, about four feet, choose three to five to train to become your new structure and remove the rest. The new suckers will be thin and weak and will need stakes like bamboo or t-posts for support. Be careful not to tie the new branches too tight as they need room to grow. Continue to stake new growth as it grows longer, and do not prune the tips.

You will also need to continue removing any new suckers as they reappear. You can expect these new branches to bloom in the summer, but there is no need to remove these blooms after they finish. However, keep your branches supported so heavy blooms don’t break the stem. The process of Crape Myrtle rejuvenation may seem slow, but Crape Myrtles can grow surprisingly fast.

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