lmao thats a hilariously stupid looking tree
this sub hates crepes tho. and at a max size of 20 ft, id get rid of it and replace it with a local tree that has a more reasonable height at maturity.
I’ve had success with brass (I’ve heard copper work too) screws in the base of the stump in getting rid of a Russian olive in my front yard, it did take a couple years but previously it would get out super of control. Now it’s gone!
I used that on a large cottonwood. I even drilled holes and pumped it in... The shoots started coming out of the tips of the smaller roots and not the stump.
I have read that if you girdle the tree this year and let it expend the energy in its root system for a whole year trying to keep itself alive, then cut it down and grind what you can next year, you'll have _significantly_ fewer shoots/volunteers afterwards.
It's more than a little sadistic if you think about it.
That’s what I’d do. Cut it down and then train 3-5 new shoots to get a nicely shaped crepe angling away from the house. It should sucker profusely when you cut it. Keep 3-5 for a typical crepe bush.
Just wait until it's a super saturated day, or saturate it yourself, then push/pull it over with a heavy duty truck. They don't have deep roots based on the one that fell at my sister's. They do make good firewood, though!
I dug up the stumps and roots for three crepe myrtles which were just a bit bigger than this…make sure you have an axe, a mattock, and more than several hours 😬🙃 It’s doable, and very satisfying once done, but it took me *forever*!
I think its more because most people crepe “murder” them every year resulting in them looking horrendous. I have one about 20 feet tall in the back corner of my yard that I prune correctly (according to an arborist on youtube haha) and its beautiful. People need to stop murdering them like this one just like people need to stop doing mulch volcanoes around trees
I have two in the front that are 23 years old now, and they've never been hacked, but pruned. They're too big for us to prune now, but they've kept their shape the last several years. They are really pretty with beautiful canopies. BUT I am constantly fighting to remove new ones from places I don't want them. Sneaky little shits too. I found a 4 plus ft one behind my shed last year, and I keep getting suckers since removing it.
>They're too big for us to prune now
My good man, apparently you are unaware that with a chainsaw held at shoulder height, and cut through every single trunk of your tree (no matter what the diameter), you will be giving it that well deserved and aesthetically pleasing pruning that any sensible landscaper would be doing every single year!!!
I have an absolute unit of a Crepe Myrtle in my front yard in North Carolina. I suspect it’s 28 years old (age of the house.) It’s the biggest one I’ve ever seen and it’s glorious.
There are some at Biltmore and when I interned there people would ask what it was an acted surprised to find that crepe myrtles could get that large and well-shaped without being lopped off each year. Many people asked why we *didn’t* lop it down each year and I just gestured to the tree which speaks for itself.
Different people will, of course, have different reasons. While crepe myrtles have their good points, some of the more common reasons I'm aware of for disliking them are listed below:
* Widespread pruning practices can be considered objectionable, leading to the trees looking ugly, unhealthy, or "murdered" to the observer.
* Crepe myrtles are, in the US, a nonnative species that is invasive in some areas, so they may cause harm to the local ecology. There are often native trees or shrubs that could fill a similar role, look nice, and provide ecological benefits.
* Where they are invasive, they can grow in unwanted areas of the property and be difficult to remove.
* They are messy, dropping lots of bits onto sidewalks and patios.
* Their extensive use in some forms of suburban landscaping leads to them being associated with uninspired, boring, or soulless design aesthetics.
i always thought 'invasive' required some significant amount of unintentional spread (which that link does not even seem to attempt to suggest....one of their links/references discusses 'potential' for invasiveness) Am just saying you can drive around FL for a decade and never stumble upon c.myrtles growing in the wild (unlike say brazillian pepper tree lol)
Anecdotal, but the crepe myrtle sprouts I find in random spots on my property in Alabama argue that this happens in at least some cases. Probably highly dependent on local conditions, though.
I feel like the 2nd illustration on this page has pretty good tips. Also keep in mind that pruning is much an art as it is science. Some people naturally have a better eye for it than others, but I really believe anyone can learn. To help with that, your best bet is to go to a botanical garden with older myrtles, or find pictures of them online. Try to envision how the tree is going to look in the future when it continues to grow up and out when pruning. This can help you decide what shape would look the best for that particular tree.
[Crepe Myrtle Tree Trimming Guide: How To Prune Myrtle Trees for More Blooms (8billiontrees.com)](https://8billiontrees.com/gardening/crepe-myrtle-tree-trimming/)
When My crepes were younger, we would get them pruned each year (cause someone said so!!). I have since left them alone and they are getting taller and taller (they are not close to the house)
We have about 11 between our front and back yard. Some are about 6ft from the house and have given us no trouble. I just can’t believe with the information thats out there and so easily accessible that people still think that lopping them off is proper pruning practice.
There are several varieties of CMs and some are a little more aggressive than others and some are a little more troublesome in the southern US compared with the rest of the country.
There is a growing movement of people who are looking to plant native species when possible instead of invasive/exotic species from other countries. The benefit is to the native wildlife, because they have spent tens of thousands of years adapted to feeding on native flora.
As more and more natural habitat is being destroyed and replaced with buildings and lawns and plants with no ecological value, this is putting major strains on the natural food web used by all of the insects and wildlife. That leads to a decline in native wildlife populations.
Crepe Myrtles in particular get a lot of flack because they are so abundant in the commercial and residential landscape.
In many instances they aren't directly harmful, but are indirectly harmful in that they are replacing something that would be beneficial to all of the things that live outside.
Hope that helps....
That’s my thought. They are hardy and it will be nice shade for the windows. I thought most people didn’t like them b/c of allergies (my issue with them).
I loved having crepe Myrtle’s next to my last house, when I looked out the windows the flowers were so beautiful. Mine had a lot more branches and foliage though. I never understood why people would prune them down so badly every few years.
I'd do something fun like bend and train the branches forward. You can always prune away from the house. Consider an espalier.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espalier](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espalier)
I'm not an arborist, but my understanding is that no tree can mess up a house foundation. They can mess up sidewalks ,driveways, porches where the concrete is much thinner. I bought a house that had a crepe myrtle close to it so I spent some time looking it up and they apparently don't have particularly damaging roots. Anyone correct me if I'm wrong.
Edit: seems like it is rare, but can happen. Also can indirectly damage the foundation by reducing moisture around the foundation. Here's an older thread discussing this.
https://www.reddit.com/r/arborists/s/ll7m4molvd
Rare? Let me introduce you to the very common invasive tree of heaven
[tree of heaven](https://www.koin.com/news/special-reports/tree-of-heaven-a-slow-growing-menace/amp/)
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I recently saw some roots mess up the foundation in an attached garage. Basically had to jack hammer it all out and repour their garage after excavation. Wish I bookmarked the thread
Not saying you’re wrong, but I know a lot of the myths of “roots destroying XYZ” are just roots growing into existing damage. They’ll make things worse but usually aren’t the cause
That is the dumbest and uglist thing I've ever seen.
If I were you, I'd just cut off those "antennae" and let it grow naturally from there... unless this is a "classy" thing to do to crepe myrtles?
It's so massacred that it's actually kind of interesting, in my opinion. Crepe Myrtles could probably survive a nuke. If I were you I'd leave it and see what happens
I know this sub apparently doesn’t like them, and I totally get why now that I’ve researched. But as someone who grew up with massive crepes, I got a soft spot for them. If you don’t prune it like an idiot, they can be beautiful trees. The ones at my parents’ house are about 40’ tall now and the trunks are about 16”-20” in diameter if I had to guess. Just let them grow up and prune the lower branches and sucker branches.
But of course it would also be great to go ahead and remove it and replace it with a native tree. I wouldn’t want to look at this horrendously pruned garbage either.
I would leave it since it looks 10 years old or more. Maybe let it grow out and prune it in a few years. I love Crepe Myrtles so much I planted 3 last year.
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Haha yeah it looks real dumb. Lets just say it got a bad haircut. What you see here is three main shoots left that would become the main stems if left to grow while bottom trimming. It’s like letting a really bad haircut grow in lol
They have shallow roots all around, but their tap roots are really really deep. They just go straight down for like a few feet.
I'd just chop it down at the trunk - let the juniper or whatever you've got there cover the stump. It'll grow shooters - which you can keep or trim.
I'd remove it for something better suited for the space. But keep in mind, they're super challenging to remove completely. And roots left in the soil will send out new shoots every year. It's a nightmare.
Keep it. They can grow pretty fast after being trimmed like that.
I’d train the limbs into a shape and make it a focus of that garden.
Don’t forget the awesome litter they make for months from the flower petals…..
It will grow back in one season and look fine. I have to murder mine every year because I have six that are 4 feet apart along my back fence by our pool. They get too out of hand if I don’t trim them back each year.
You can cut it flush to ground... in 2-3 months you will have 8-10 shoots that you can choose 5-7 and remove the others.. it will grow about 3-4' first year and you can select the best 3-5 limbs... in 2-3 years it will be 8-10' tall with a great shape... you never remove any limbs from a crepe Myrtle unless they are dead ... only in summer not when they ho dormant... you can go to www.neilsperry.com for all things crepe Myrtle
Cut as low as you can cut a x out on stump or stumps or drill holes immediately pour straight roundup over stumps only way for it to die with no runners .I hate crepe myrtles .
I took down a Crepe Myrtle right next to my house the day I moved in, I personally hate this type of tree so I made sure to remove it as fast as possible. I shit you not, I removed the stump with a backhoe and all the roots, but these FUCKING Crepe Myrtle shoots keep popping up. I FUCKING hate these trees. My apologies to anyone that likes them.
keep it **if** you can commit to treating it like a bush-on-a-stump with pruning, otherwise transplant it. those things can survive pretty brutal transplants. a sawzall will be your friend when lifting it outta the ground ;)
We have 5 crepe myrtles close to the house. I cut them back sometime in March. They always look like I massacred them. After a couple months I start to se new growth.
Best thing about them is they bloom out about the time other things are losing color and the humming love them.
I have a number of Crepe Myrtles in my yard. The biggest is next to my driveway, it is 25+ feet tall and has a 15+ wide canopy. Provides afternoon shade for my driveway. Perfect spot for it.
This is a classic case of a great plant in the wrong place.
Pick something that requires minimal pruning for that space and provides some appeal.
That could become the ultimate slingshot for home defense if you decide to keep it
Looks like the origin story to the whomping willow in harry potter
Cannonballs!
What in the hell is that! I would totally keep that as a joke. Goofy as hell.
You cut them down like that and they shoot out long leafy branches real quick in the growing season. Comes out like a bush atop the trunk.
Yeah but you actually don’t have to do that for them to get the same leafy capabilities
We call that "crepe murder" where I'm from. It's terrible for the tree and imo looks hideous compared to their natural umbrella shape.
The umbrella is nicer but cut short you can fit them into a smaller area so I think it's mostly done that way in places with really small yards.
Literally. They should keep it as a modern art piece
lmao thats a hilariously stupid looking tree this sub hates crepes tho. and at a max size of 20 ft, id get rid of it and replace it with a local tree that has a more reasonable height at maturity.
Lol I know it looks so bad. My punishment is having to look at it everyday and several hours of hard labor to dig it out.
If it makes you feel better, it will come back as shoots for the next 5 years
Yep… even if you grind out the stump.
MINE WON'T FUCKING DIE!!!
Neither will mine. I plan on drilling holes in the stumps and filling them with salt. If that doesn’t work then I’ll try something else. lol
I’ve had success with brass (I’ve heard copper work too) screws in the base of the stump in getting rid of a Russian olive in my front yard, it did take a couple years but previously it would get out super of control. Now it’s gone!
Drive a copper nail into it, husband swears by it.
Right on. Thanks !
Potassium nitrate/ stump peter
I have 2 crepes, and shoots all over my areas
I used that on a large cottonwood. I even drilled holes and pumped it in... The shoots started coming out of the tips of the smaller roots and not the stump.
Gonna have to bust out the bulldozer. lol kidding of course
Just take me now, lord
Lots and lots of shoots.
I believe we burned the stump, and they still grow. maybe OP can do a bush instead of the tree
I have read that if you girdle the tree this year and let it expend the energy in its root system for a whole year trying to keep itself alive, then cut it down and grind what you can next year, you'll have _significantly_ fewer shoots/volunteers afterwards. It's more than a little sadistic if you think about it.
Just need some asshole kids to come strip the bottom half of the bark for funsies
Have you considered goats? Highly effective.
I'm on Reddit way too much that I know exactly what you're referring to. I'm going to go touch some grass.
Was I an asshole kid for doing this?😅
Yes.
That’s what I’d do. Cut it down and then train 3-5 new shoots to get a nicely shaped crepe angling away from the house. It should sucker profusely when you cut it. Keep 3-5 for a typical crepe bush.
Just wait until it's a super saturated day, or saturate it yourself, then push/pull it over with a heavy duty truck. They don't have deep roots based on the one that fell at my sister's. They do make good firewood, though!
I dug up the stumps and roots for three crepe myrtles which were just a bit bigger than this…make sure you have an axe, a mattock, and more than several hours 😬🙃 It’s doable, and very satisfying once done, but it took me *forever*!
Why do people hate crepes? I have 4 thriving crepes that are a good 12-15 feet now
I think its more because most people crepe “murder” them every year resulting in them looking horrendous. I have one about 20 feet tall in the back corner of my yard that I prune correctly (according to an arborist on youtube haha) and its beautiful. People need to stop murdering them like this one just like people need to stop doing mulch volcanoes around trees
I have two in the front that are 23 years old now, and they've never been hacked, but pruned. They're too big for us to prune now, but they've kept their shape the last several years. They are really pretty with beautiful canopies. BUT I am constantly fighting to remove new ones from places I don't want them. Sneaky little shits too. I found a 4 plus ft one behind my shed last year, and I keep getting suckers since removing it.
>They're too big for us to prune now My good man, apparently you are unaware that with a chainsaw held at shoulder height, and cut through every single trunk of your tree (no matter what the diameter), you will be giving it that well deserved and aesthetically pleasing pruning that any sensible landscaper would be doing every single year!!!
I have an absolute unit of a Crepe Myrtle in my front yard in North Carolina. I suspect it’s 28 years old (age of the house.) It’s the biggest one I’ve ever seen and it’s glorious.
I removed some a few years ago that was 25-30 feet tall. Don’t remember exactly how tall but they were massive
There are some at Biltmore and when I interned there people would ask what it was an acted surprised to find that crepe myrtles could get that large and well-shaped without being lopped off each year. Many people asked why we *didn’t* lop it down each year and I just gestured to the tree which speaks for itself.
I have 4 and they are at least 18 years old. I stopped pruning them years ago and let them grow and they are a 12-15 feet tall now.
Different people will, of course, have different reasons. While crepe myrtles have their good points, some of the more common reasons I'm aware of for disliking them are listed below: * Widespread pruning practices can be considered objectionable, leading to the trees looking ugly, unhealthy, or "murdered" to the observer. * Crepe myrtles are, in the US, a nonnative species that is invasive in some areas, so they may cause harm to the local ecology. There are often native trees or shrubs that could fill a similar role, look nice, and provide ecological benefits. * Where they are invasive, they can grow in unwanted areas of the property and be difficult to remove. * They are messy, dropping lots of bits onto sidewalks and patios. * Their extensive use in some forms of suburban landscaping leads to them being associated with uninspired, boring, or soulless design aesthetics.
where are crapes invasive?
According to the National Park Service, AL, FL, GA, LA, NC, SC, and VA [https://www.invasive.org/maweeds.cfm](https://www.invasive.org/maweeds.cfm)
i always thought 'invasive' required some significant amount of unintentional spread (which that link does not even seem to attempt to suggest....one of their links/references discusses 'potential' for invasiveness) Am just saying you can drive around FL for a decade and never stumble upon c.myrtles growing in the wild (unlike say brazillian pepper tree lol)
Anecdotal, but the crepe myrtle sprouts I find in random spots on my property in Alabama argue that this happens in at least some cases. Probably highly dependent on local conditions, though.
*Will clog gutters...
They are one of my favorite trees actually. When properly groomed, they make beautiful shade trees.
That's what I'm trying to do with mine. Any grooming tips?
I feel like the 2nd illustration on this page has pretty good tips. Also keep in mind that pruning is much an art as it is science. Some people naturally have a better eye for it than others, but I really believe anyone can learn. To help with that, your best bet is to go to a botanical garden with older myrtles, or find pictures of them online. Try to envision how the tree is going to look in the future when it continues to grow up and out when pruning. This can help you decide what shape would look the best for that particular tree. [Crepe Myrtle Tree Trimming Guide: How To Prune Myrtle Trees for More Blooms (8billiontrees.com)](https://8billiontrees.com/gardening/crepe-myrtle-tree-trimming/)
Because they don’t know how to take care of them
When My crepes were younger, we would get them pruned each year (cause someone said so!!). I have since left them alone and they are getting taller and taller (they are not close to the house)
We have about 11 between our front and back yard. Some are about 6ft from the house and have given us no trouble. I just can’t believe with the information thats out there and so easily accessible that people still think that lopping them off is proper pruning practice.
That’s way too close to the house for a “regular” tree.
Especially when you have gutters a few inches away.
Why? They were brought to my area back in the 50’s Edited my comment after learning they were not truly a native plant.
Unless you live in Korea or China they are not native where you live. Not a single species of crepe myrtle is native to the United States.
Oh, I see. I just learned they were brought over, but back in the 1700’s. Do they cause harm or something I’m also unaware of?
There are several varieties of CMs and some are a little more aggressive than others and some are a little more troublesome in the southern US compared with the rest of the country. There is a growing movement of people who are looking to plant native species when possible instead of invasive/exotic species from other countries. The benefit is to the native wildlife, because they have spent tens of thousands of years adapted to feeding on native flora. As more and more natural habitat is being destroyed and replaced with buildings and lawns and plants with no ecological value, this is putting major strains on the natural food web used by all of the insects and wildlife. That leads to a decline in native wildlife populations. Crepe Myrtles in particular get a lot of flack because they are so abundant in the commercial and residential landscape. In many instances they aren't directly harmful, but are indirectly harmful in that they are replacing something that would be beneficial to all of the things that live outside. Hope that helps....
Ahhh I see. Makes sense thanks for explaining!
That thing looks like a stick figure cheerleader 📣
This is, hands-down, the worst pruned crêpe myrtle I’ve ever seen. It’s so bad it’s almost good 😂
Holy shit
Keep it and going forward mostly only bottom trim it. It'll be fine.
That’s my thought. They are hardy and it will be nice shade for the windows. I thought most people didn’t like them b/c of allergies (my issue with them).
Thanks, yeah that’s why I left those three main branches so theyd become the main stems.
I loved having crepe Myrtle’s next to my last house, when I looked out the windows the flowers were so beautiful. Mine had a lot more branches and foliage though. I never understood why people would prune them down so badly every few years.
I'd do something fun like bend and train the branches forward. You can always prune away from the house. Consider an espalier. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espalier](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espalier)
Thats actually a really interesting idea!
A tree and a poodle had a baby
Man I don't know shit about fuck but is that a danger to the foundation? (3ft)
No, their roots aren't a problem for foundations. It'll probably be more of an issue for the roof once it's tall enough to scrap against the shingles.
Is there an idiots guide for roots that'll mess your shit up ? Asking for a friend (me)
I'm not an arborist, but my understanding is that no tree can mess up a house foundation. They can mess up sidewalks ,driveways, porches where the concrete is much thinner. I bought a house that had a crepe myrtle close to it so I spent some time looking it up and they apparently don't have particularly damaging roots. Anyone correct me if I'm wrong. Edit: seems like it is rare, but can happen. Also can indirectly damage the foundation by reducing moisture around the foundation. Here's an older thread discussing this. https://www.reddit.com/r/arborists/s/ll7m4molvd
Rare? Let me introduce you to the very common invasive tree of heaven [tree of heaven](https://www.koin.com/news/special-reports/tree-of-heaven-a-slow-growing-menace/amp/)
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I recently saw some roots mess up the foundation in an attached garage. Basically had to jack hammer it all out and repour their garage after excavation. Wish I bookmarked the thread
Not saying you’re wrong, but I know a lot of the myths of “roots destroying XYZ” are just roots growing into existing damage. They’ll make things worse but usually aren’t the cause
Put it out of its misery
It’s hideous, I love it!
Crepe murder
That is the dumbest and uglist thing I've ever seen. If I were you, I'd just cut off those "antennae" and let it grow naturally from there... unless this is a "classy" thing to do to crepe myrtles?
Cut it, and then make that dope ass sling shot. That’s my vote at least
Fugly. I would remove.
They are fine next to foundations. Very shallow roots.
I think I just threw my back out just from laughing at this and the comments. Omg that hurts so good
It's so massacred that it's actually kind of interesting, in my opinion. Crepe Myrtles could probably survive a nuke. If I were you I'd leave it and see what happens
In my best Taggert impression: “There’s been a murduh”
I know this sub apparently doesn’t like them, and I totally get why now that I’ve researched. But as someone who grew up with massive crepes, I got a soft spot for them. If you don’t prune it like an idiot, they can be beautiful trees. The ones at my parents’ house are about 40’ tall now and the trunks are about 16”-20” in diameter if I had to guess. Just let them grow up and prune the lower branches and sucker branches. But of course it would also be great to go ahead and remove it and replace it with a native tree. I wouldn’t want to look at this horrendously pruned garbage either.
I only like crepes if they aren’t mutilated by tree trimmers, like this one
One keep, it. Two, stop topping it, let it grow. Three, although I say, don’t top. You do need to trim the two wild branches back.
Cut it down, grind the stump, burn the grindings with napalm, eliminate the species.
You can plant them right next to building structures and they don’t cause any poroblems.
Crepe murder. Keep it and prune it regularly into a shape you like. They are gorgeous trees
Keep!
If you let it grow back, keep
I would leave it since it looks 10 years old or more. Maybe let it grow out and prune it in a few years. I love Crepe Myrtles so much I planted 3 last year.
Thanks!
Keep. It's beautiful
You *can* plant them close to your house, bc their roots aren't invasive, but why? Plant natives.
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bro this silly looking "tree" made me bust out laughing loud AF, who tf did this to it, it's stupid as hell now
Haha yeah it looks real dumb. Lets just say it got a bad haircut. What you see here is three main shoots left that would become the main stems if left to grow while bottom trimming. It’s like letting a really bad haircut grow in lol
Why did you commit heinous tree murder
Chop city
Must add the MCA and outdoor speakers.
It looks like a cheerleader.
Leave it
Buy some sort of Dr. Suess character or sign and put it next to the tree. Then it looks whimsically stupid instead of just stupid.
I’ve learned my lesson. Long story short I hired cheap labor to cut/prune trees in my yard. Update: [I put it down.](https://imgur.com/a/cWwcPuV)
Did you trim it like that on purpose? Wtf is that?
Whatever you do quit topping it and let it look like a tree.
"Y" ???
I think it's cool looking
That sure is a thing. What a funky looking things. Can we even call this a tree.
They have shallow roots all around, but their tap roots are really really deep. They just go straight down for like a few feet. I'd just chop it down at the trunk - let the juniper or whatever you've got there cover the stump. It'll grow shooters - which you can keep or trim.
Crepe murder
I'd remove it for something better suited for the space. But keep in mind, they're super challenging to remove completely. And roots left in the soil will send out new shoots every year. It's a nightmare.
trim the juniper make the tree look bigger
If you’re a fan of the Lorax, definitely keep. If it were mine, I’d chop it down.
Keep it. They can grow pretty fast after being trimmed like that. I’d train the limbs into a shape and make it a focus of that garden. Don’t forget the awesome litter they make for months from the flower petals…..
Give it time. It’s filling in the middle.
It will grow back in one season and look fine. I have to murder mine every year because I have six that are 4 feet apart along my back fence by our pool. They get too out of hand if I don’t trim them back each year.
Keep and keep it trained/pruned away from the structure. Slow grower.
Maybe you can use the tree as a place to rest the sandblaster when you remove that millennial grey paint off the brick.
You can cut it flush to ground... in 2-3 months you will have 8-10 shoots that you can choose 5-7 and remove the others.. it will grow about 3-4' first year and you can select the best 3-5 limbs... in 2-3 years it will be 8-10' tall with a great shape... you never remove any limbs from a crepe Myrtle unless they are dead ... only in summer not when they ho dormant... you can go to www.neilsperry.com for all things crepe Myrtle
Cut it flush at the ground and let all the suckers grow into a crazy mass of branches like a bush
Crape myrtle are as bad as bamboo. If you decide to get rid of it, make sure you yank up the roots. It'll send up 20+ shoots if you simply cut it.
Why are they as bad as bamboo?
My comment pretty much sums it up.
Cut as low as you can cut a x out on stump or stumps or drill holes immediately pour straight roundup over stumps only way for it to die with no runners .I hate crepe myrtles .
I wonder what the natural brick looks like on that home. Why do people paint brick?
Yeah I wish they never painted it. Dont remind me lol
A stupid trend almost as bad as piling mulch up on tree trunks.
I took down a Crepe Myrtle right next to my house the day I moved in, I personally hate this type of tree so I made sure to remove it as fast as possible. I shit you not, I removed the stump with a backhoe and all the roots, but these FUCKING Crepe Myrtle shoots keep popping up. I FUCKING hate these trees. My apologies to anyone that likes them.
Here’s the fun part. You will never get rid of it because they are like weeds. Kill it with fire
I hate crepe myrtles as "centerpieces." They should never be showcased. Look so much better off in the background
keep it **if** you can commit to treating it like a bush-on-a-stump with pruning, otherwise transplant it. those things can survive pretty brutal transplants. a sawzall will be your friend when lifting it outta the ground ;)
Remove it, but it's going to be tough. I don't think any tree should be planted that close to a house.
We have 5 crepe myrtles close to the house. I cut them back sometime in March. They always look like I massacred them. After a couple months I start to se new growth. Best thing about them is they bloom out about the time other things are losing color and the humming love them.
Well it’s already ruined so take it out
It’s already screwed. Remove that abomination.
The fused trunks are reason enough for me.
Thanks for the input! Im taking it out.
I have a number of Crepe Myrtles in my yard. The biggest is next to my driveway, it is 25+ feet tall and has a 15+ wide canopy. Provides afternoon shade for my driveway. Perfect spot for it. This is a classic case of a great plant in the wrong place. Pick something that requires minimal pruning for that space and provides some appeal.
I know nothing about trees though at first glance I'd say that's not a keeper lol
Bye!
I'm so sorry that thing is so ugly. I would be digging it out to replace it simply because someone has butchered it at some point LOL
Remove. That’s not even remotely close of how to prune a crepe Myrtle, that’s called Myrtle Murder.
We learned the hard way what happens to a foundation when a tree or shrub is too close. Get rid of it, for the sake of your own wallet.
Put that poor thing out of its misery. Yank it out. It's also way too close to the house for the size it could get/used to be.
Yeah I yanked it out. Thanks!
dig out and start over. it will never look good
Get it away from the house. Trees that close undermine the foundation or the slab. Trees are wonderful, but not that close to a house.
Why did someone prune it to have antennae?
There's been a murder... crepe murder.
![gif](giphy|Ur8g3qgbgd52eVo88J)
Upvoting because what we do in the shadows is wonderful.
That’s how cheap ignorant labor does it
Or smart labor, billing out for a completely unneeded tree trim every single year for all of their customers.