GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Driving around Clay County, there is evidence everywhere of a crime against a common plant. When you see them, you first notice the missing limbs, the scarred wounds and then the sad look of a tree that is being hacked back year after year.

This common tree is the Crape Myrtle, Lagerstroemia indica, and the crime is the heavy pruning some decide to do every year to keep this tree to a manageable size or because they believe it is best for its appearance. The Crape Myrtle is naturally a medium-sized, low maintenance tree that does not require regular pruning but many are being maintained through different practices, which some like to call “Crape Murder.”

The first type of pruning you often seen is called tipping. This involves cutting off the smallest ends of the branches each year to create a round shaped form. This is very time consuming but is not likely to affect the health of the tree. Taking it a step further is topping, where the tree is cut back heavily, removing branches that are several years old to maintain the size. This practice is not recommended due to the stress it puts on the tree from the loss of energy and the amount of exposed wood that can become an entryway for pests and diseases.

Finally, topping may look similar to a process known as pollarding. Pollarding began in Europe as a way to manage tree size by cutting back the tree to certain points on all branches after the third year and then cutting back the new growth from this point each year. This point is known as the pollard head. This method can maintain the size of the tree over time with less stress but requires yearly maintenance that would not be necessary if the tree is able to grow to its natural form. Both topping and pollarding also delay flowering and can decrease flowering on some varieties.

While tipping and pollarding can be effective practices, choosing the proper Crape Myrtle, or other plant, for your space is a better option. Knowing that the tree can become around 40-50’ tall with branches extending nearly to the ground when healthy, a full-size variety may not work for your application. However, there are dwarf varieties that can fit in many spaces without the need for pruning. Along with size you can also find cultivars that have a variety of flowers, bark, and pest resistance. For more information on Crape Myrtle varieties, see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg266 .

If you do have a Crape Myrtle that requires pruning due to previous branch removal or space limitations here are some tips to help:

1. Pruning is best done when the trees are dormant, usually from January through early March.

2. Prune to remove crossing or rubbing branches, damaged or diseased branches, or any that are a safety hazard.

3. Remove vigorous, vertically growing branches near the center of the canopy.

4. Prune branches back to the collar, which is a swollen area where the branch meets its branch of origin, do not cut too close and remove this area or leave a large stub.

5. If you have to hard prune, do so in early to mid-March.

6. If you need to manage the tree at a smaller size, consider pollarding instead of topping.

With some help from everyone, we can stop the crime of “Crape Murder” through plant topping and have healthier, more attractive Crape Myrtles throughout Clay County.

If you have any questions about landscape and garden topics, or need plant or pest materials identified, contact the University of Florida/IFAS Extension Office online at http://www.clay.ifas.ufl.edu, follow us on Facebook, or call by phone at (904) 284-6355.