Here is a great example of what is commonly called around these parts "Crepe Myrtle Murder".
This is at a building near my office.
I took this photo a month or so ago when they first "pruned" them. This is how many people handle the pruning of a these trees. I waited a few weeks and then I took the next one. They do this because when they grow back...
...they look like this. It's also called "topping" and the purpose is to create this look. Sure it's nice and symmetrical in a way, but come on, it's certainly not a natural look. It creates permanent scars and damage to the tree itself, often shortening the life of a tree. Crepes are often described as one of the most beautiful flowering and branching trees. They are like lilacs with a weeping, branching aspect to them. This eliminates that natural look.
We scored these two last Fall for free. Always the best kind of deal, ha. We've babied them on the porch through the Winter and now they are doing great. It's about time for me to find a home for them. I'm still leaning toward the bee yard.
Anyway, love crepe myrtles!
Don't murder them!
Those poor crepe myrtles - and they've developed what is called ugly 'witch's brooms' from their branch murder! And so unnecessary. There are dozens of crepe myrtle varieties, with mature heights from just a few feet to 30 feet. If people would only choose the right-height variety for their purposes.
ReplyDeleteCrepe myrtles are such graceful, gorgeous trees - I have several. They are beautiful in every season.
You made a great score - with free trees - can't beat that! They would look lovely by your bee hives.
"Witch's brooms" I can totally see that. Im not sure how big these will get, but since at the farm we don't care and will just let nature take care of them and do their thing, ha. Yep, I'm thinking of creating a sort of "entrance" to the bee yard with these on each side of an area to walk in. The bees will love it.
DeleteThey do the same here as well :{ and I absolutely hate it when I see what they do to such a beautiful tree. I trim off the little suckers that grow down towards the bottom of the trunk and that's it.
ReplyDeleteYes, I would say that your free trees most Definitely need to have their own space in the ground
Yep, going to get them in soon. Around there, they say you can plant them just about anytime of the year. Hot or cold. We'll see. Yep, I'll just pinch off the suckers.
DeleteYou should see what the power line people do to trees up here. Sickening. Some of the trees lose ALL the branches on one full side. Most of them end up dying. What a waste.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather see them chop them down than to trim them the way they do......
There are places here in Houston in old neighborhoods with old trees where they trim them like they are split down the middle. It's so sad. I understand the need, but like you said half the time they die because they are so butchered.
DeleteWhen I lived in North Carolina, it was the common practice to top them.Now that we live in South Florida, I haven't noticed it all (they do grow here as well). But it is very pretty and refreshing to see the pastel pink blooms here on a hot, humid summer day.
ReplyDeleteThere seems to be a trend moving back toward not cutting them like that. I've seen more left to be more natural than I used to. And yes, the flowers in the middle of hot humid summers are so nice.
DeleteThey-gardeners-do that to crepes here as well. I have three in my backyard and my daughter and her boyfriend keep offering to 'prune them correctly' for me. Of course I say a firm NO. I prefer them as small trees. Catherine in south MS
ReplyDeleteHa, "prune them correctly". I bet they'll keep asking! ;-)
DeleteWe call it "Crape Murder." Yes, I do it. Otherwise, the plant is 12-18 feet wide because of the spreading of the branches. Stupid me bought three and did not read they would grow to 20 feet high. Yes, I realized I chose the wrong plant. I just chose by color! I love my butchered trees. But, to each his/her own. They are beautiful in one of our shopping centers because they bloom for so long and people and cars can still operate in the shopping center.
ReplyDeleteHey, there is a reason to do it that way and there is nothing wrong with that. How many people might just get rid of a tree because its as too big or too small or in the way? If pruning saves the tree, then so be it. Ha. And it's all about beauty in the end for sure. And trees, especially flowering trees, are wonderful in any form.
DeleteI looked at the pruned trees again. they are pruned incorrectly! You are supposed to prune them at the same height each year, not just keep going up and up like this one was pruned.
ReplyDeleteI never noticed that but you're right. They are pronging them higher each time. I"ll have to look at them up close tomorrow.
DeleteI have several crepe myrtles which I love and have let be very natural for several years. We are going to have to do an intense pruning but there is no way I would ever give them a flat top.
ReplyDeleteAll trees will need some pruning at some point I suppose. It's what we have to do, ha.
DeleteOur Crepe Myrtles are deciduous, so are pretty tough in winter. Are there different varieties apart from different colours?
ReplyDeleteThere are, some are dwarf and others seem super giant. I think that around town, when they are planted in landscaping areas (like parking lots, etc) they are just purchased in bulk, planted and some are going to be bit and others small. Probably lack of proper planning is what leads to those pruning jobs, ha.
DeleteHiss and spit.
ReplyDeleteI am so against tree torture - which is one of the reasons that, while acknowledging the work, I DO NOT LIKE BONSAI. (I think of it as much the same as the foot-binding the Chinese did for many years.)
Thank you for the comment about Bonsai. I always thought about it as being kind of cruel too. I thought I was the only one, ha.
Delete