How do I keep my Crepe Myrtle from dying back in the Winter? I live in WV?

I have two (red and lavender) and they die back and come back in the Spring.

How do I keep my Crepe Myrtle from dying back in the Winter? I live in WV?
Crepes are deciduous, they loose their leaves in winter. Nothing you can do to change it. Cuttings root in water.
Reply:This is because they are deciduous! They belong to the Myrtle Family..the same as Eucalyptus spp...and are from India...But are still deciduous. Don't prune as you may ruin their natural shape ie vase..You only have to spray for downy/powdery mildew when humidity rises..very early summer if you have to..also watch out for borer..other than that ..enjoy the mottled bark till it flowers again.
Reply:Creps are borderline hardy there. They don't shut down quickly in the fall thus the late season growth is quite prone to winter damage. You can help the plant by planting it in the warmest spot in your yard, protecting them from cold wind perhaps with a screen and mulching around the ground once cold weather hits. Still you will lose the tips.....but sounds like you might be loosing quite a bit more! They aren't really hardy below zone 6.......so some year you may lose them completely.
Reply:Hi,

I lived in Kentucky for almost 30 years and just recently moved just Southeastern of Central Ohio. I took cuttings of my butterfly, crepe myrtle, lavendar, and Mountain Laurel from the place the I lived at for so long.

My Crepe Myrtle is well over 8 foot tall. During the fall/winter months it always looses most of the leaves from mid way of the bottom to the top. Some of the berries will stay on the Myrtle for the winter. I would just mulch around all my flowers and get ready for the winter. But as soon as the sap goes down in the Myrtle's, the leaves start coming off. You can actually pull a branch back and it is green on the inside, very much alive, just sleeping for the long winter months.

It is at this time you can get your cuttings from the Myrtle and place where ever else you would like.

I hope this helps you.
Reply:Hi:

Crepe Myrtles are deciduous and will die back in any zone in the winter time. You are suppose to prune them in February or in early March in your state. Go ahead now and add a slow six month nitrogen release fertilizer to your two Crepe Myrtles. This is will help them begin a great grow in the spring. You can also fertilize the again in the springtime for great summer blooms.



When you prune in February make sure you always cut at an angle. If you cut straight across you could damage the branches. I recommend to my clients to let the Crepe Myrtles grow in a natural form with thrimming off dead flowers and overgrown branches.



Take a look at my pruning page on my website site to get the proper steps to pruning. I will also direct you to my site map where you can get other tips on many landscape solutions as well as browse through photos of trees, shrubs, flowers and herbs. Good luck to you and have a great day!

Kimberly

http://www.landscape-solutions-for-you.c...



http://www.landscape-solutions-for-you.c...
Reply:Crepe Myrtle is a hardy tree from Zone 7 down - I used to live in VA for 5 years so I'm used to seeing them die back and come back to life in the spring. Don't worry, that's natural and it's part of its growth cycle. If you're really worried about roots freezing and the tree actually dying, I'd recommend covering the tree trunks with several layers of burlap to keep it insulated from the cold. Other than that, just leave it alone and it'll know what to do.

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