Crape Myrtles are a sure sign of summer, especially in the South. The soft, paper-like blooms explode in a variety of colors each year, brightening up the dog days of summer. Even though these vigorous flowering trees and shrubs don’t usually need much help to grow, there are some things you can do to encourage a long, full bloom season this year.
Encouraging blooms on your Crape Myrtle comes down to the basics: sunshine, water, and healthy foliage. Simply put, keeping your plant happy and healthy will result in better blooms. Crape Myrtles bloom on new growth, so lightly pruning at the right time can help improve your blooms come summertime.
This article will give you some tips to improve and maintain your Crape Myrtle’s health so you’ll have the best chances of an abundant bloom season this year. You’ll learn what to expect as far as when your Crape Myrtle should start blooming and what you can do to encourage more flowers this summer.
How to Encourage Crape Myrtle Blooms
Crape Myrtles are known for being easy to grow, so it can be extra disappointing if your tree isn’t producing the explosion of blooms you were expecting. The good news is there are some things you can do to help encourage more blooms on your Crape Myrtle. Better yet, you’re probably already doing some of them without even realizing it!
If you’re wondering what makes a Crape Myrtle bloom, it’s best to start with the basics. Keep your plant healthy to promote blooming and keep the flowers coming all summer long.
Tip #1: Provide Plenty of Sunshine
While it seems like common sense, you still shouldn’t underestimate the importance of your Crape Myrtle getting at least six hours of full, direct sunlight each day. Making sure your Crape Myrtle gets enough sunshine is key to its overall health and ability to produce flowers. Because these laid-back trees will grow in pretty much any condition (even some shade), they can lull you into a false sense of security about how well they’re doing.
Even if your Crape Myrtle seems to be growing just fine, your blooms will suffer if it’s not getting enough sunlight. A partially-shaded Crape will have fewer blooms and will not have the same vibrant color as it would if it got enough sunlight. Ensure your Crape Myrtle gets plenty of Vitamin D by choosing the right spot to plant it and trimming back nearby trees and shrubs that may be blocking sunlight access.
Tip #2: Prune Only as Needed in Winter
Remember: less is more when it comes to pruning your Crape Myrtles. Not only do you want to avoid the dreaded Crape Murder, but pruning too much or at the wrong time can stunt your Crape Myrtle’s blooms.
Crape Myrtles bloom on new wood, meaning that buds set on the current season’s new growth. You can help encourage flowering by doing some cleanup on your Crape Myrtle during late fall, winter, or very early spring. It’s a good idea to remove dead, damaged, or crossing branches while the tree is dormant. So, some light pruning and trimming while your Crape Myrtle is dormant is fine, but you don’t want to prune too late into spring.
Since Crape Myrtles bloom on new wood, getting the old and excessive stems and branches out of the way is beneficial for the new growth. Doing so will allow more air circulation and sunlight to reach the branches once they start leafing out. Plus, trimming away old growth encourages new growth to form in its place. Where there’s new growth, there’s the potential for more blooms. Just don’t go overboard, and you’ll be on your way to a flower-filled summer with a little cleanup ahead of time.
To learn more about pruning your Crape Myrtles, check out this article dedicated to all things pruning.
Tip #3: Fertilize Lightly
You may never need to fertilize your Crape Myrtle, but you can encourage more blooms by having the right balance of nutrients in the soil. To have more healthy growth in the spring and summer months, you should lightly fertilize your Crape Myrtle in early spring.
A balanced, all-purpose fertilizer is the best option for most Crape Myrtles and typically includes balanced portions of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (N-P-K). Something like a 10-10-10 or 20-20-20 fertilizer would do just fine, like this one.
You’ll just want to be careful not to overload the soil with too much nitrogen. When the soil is very nitrogen-rich, it can cause excessive foliage development at the expense of your blooms. So, unless you want to have more leaves than flowers, it’s best to stick with a light, balanced fertilizer or perform a soil test to see what nutrients may be lacking.
In fact, too much fertilizer, in general, can lead to delayed flowering or may eliminate most of your blooms altogether. So, much like pruning, less is more when it comes to fertilizing your Crape Myrtles.
If you have more questions about how and when to fertilize your Crape Myrtles, we have an entire article dedicated to the topic, which you can read here.
Tip #4: Deadhead Spent Blooms (or Don’t)
There is some debate about whether or not deadheading Crape Myrtle blooms is necessary or helpful for encouraging additional flowers. There is some value in snipping away spent blooms, and sometimes, it can encourage additional blooms to develop.
Just be careful not to deadhead blooms too late, as you don’t want to encourage new growth to develop as you’re heading into the cold season. Doing so could delay your Crape Myrtle from going dormant like it’s supposed to.
A good rule of thumb is to deadhead the blooms as they’re starting to wilt and fade toward the end of the summer, around the middle to later part of July. This will often lead to one more round of blooms before the season ends, especially if you live in a warmer climate.
However, if you have a late bloomer variety that typically continues flowering into the fall months, you shouldn’t deadhead blooms as it will be too late and too close to winter.
Still, deadheading blooms isn’t a requirement for an abundance of Crape Myrtle flowers on your tree. It’s just a way to encourage another round of blooming. So, if you’re wondering how to keep a Crape Myrtle blooming, deadheading spent flowers may be an option.
Tip #5: Mulch Around Your Tree
Crape Myrtles have shallow roots that often compete with nearby plants and turf for nutrients and resources. Keeping the root system moist and healthy is essential for maximum blooms. One easy way to help keep moisture in the soil for your Crape Myrtle and help keep weeds and grass away from the root system is by putting a layer of mulch around the tree’s base.
Applying mulch helps keep your Crape Myrtle healthy all year long. During the summer months, when the soil is prone to getting dried out, mulch helps with moisture retention. When your Crape Myrtle is using a lot of energy on new growth and producing blooms all summer long, it needs all the help it can get to protect the root system and keep it healthy.
Read this article to learn about the best mulch for your Crape Myrtle and learn some tips for using mulch in your landscape.
Tip #6: Be Proactive About Pest Problems
Prevention is key when it comes to dealing with Crape Myrtle pests. Though these flowering trees aren’t too susceptible to major pest problems, they can still be impacted by heavy infestations.
Aphids, whiteflies, and scale insects are some of the most common problem causers for Crape Myrtles, and serious infestations can impact the tree’s flowering. The best way to prevent these issues and keep the flowers flourishing is to be proactive about it.
Maintaining your tree’s health with proper watering and plenty of sunshine will prevent a lot of pest problems. Light pruning to thin the canopy and improve airflow is also beneficial. Encourage the presence of natural predators like ladybugs and use natural pesticides if necessary.
To learn more about controlling aphids on your Crape Myrtles, check out this article which discusses how to rid your landscape of these pests for good.
What to Do When Your Crape Myrtle Won’t Bloom
If your Crape Myrtle seems stubborn or shy about blooming, it could be due to a number of reasons. Using the tips we just discussed will address most of the potential issues you could be facing, but there’s also the possibility that your tree simply needs more time.
While there’s no quick fix for patience, sometimes that’s all your Crape Myrtle needs. These vigorous growers normally won’t bloom for the first couple of years after planting, so you may have to wait a little while before you enjoy your Crape Myrtle’s summertime show.
Younger Crape Myrtles, in particular, need more water and a little more TLC before they’ll become established and mature. You may also need to fertilize your young tree more frequently than established Crape Myrtles in your yard.
If your tree isn’t blooming, check for environmental conditions first; it needs full sun, moist but well-drained soil, and enough nutrients to encourage foliage and bloom development. Next, consider the tree’s age. If it’s three years old or less, it’s likely too young to bloom.
If everything else is good, ensure late pruning isn’t the problem. Late-season frosts are also problematic for Crape Myrtles and may delay flowering. In those cases, it’s especially important that you not prune at the wrong time.
Lastly, you can consider the cultivar or variety. The type of Crape Myrtle can impact the blooming schedule. For example, hybrid Crape Myrtles like Tuscarora and Muskogee are some of the earliest bloomers of all. Then, you should expect semi-dwarf Crapes like Sioux and Tonto to bloom shortly after.
Still, some Crape Myrtles may not bloom for several weeks after you start seeing other trees start flowing in your area. That doesn’t mean your Crape is stunted; it could just be a different variety blooming on a different schedule.
Putting It All Together
Crape Myrtles are known for their soft and showy blooms starting in May or June that last all summer long. Anyone who has these trees in their landscape will want to have as many flowers as possible and enjoy them as long as they can. To maximize your Crape Myrtle’s blooming season, focus on keeping your tree healthy. Crape Myrtles do best when they have plenty of sunshine, moist and well-drained soil, and lightly fertilized soil rich in phosphorus and nitrogen.
Avoid improper pruning techniques or trimming your Crape Myrtle too late in the spring season. This allows you to avoid clipping away buds that set on this year’s growth (new wood bloomers). Deadheading spent blooms is one way to extend the flowering season and may encourage another round of blooms, but it’s not necessary on most types of Crape Myrtle.