Crepe Myrtle Bush Care
The crepe myrtle bush, an easy-to-care for and hardy shrub popular in landscaping, was imported to the United States from Southeast Asia and is best suited to growing in United States zones seven through nine. These ornamental bushes come in a great variety of pinks, reds and oranges and are thus very popular with many American gardeners. When cared for properly, crepe myrtles will thrive in your yard for years; in fact, in some locales they are known as an invasive species.
Your crepe myrtle needs to be planted in full sun; if you plant it in the shade, it may survive but never bloom or bloom but not display the bright colors it is capable of in sunny spots. You need to find a spot with well-drained soil to plant your crepe myrtle, because the bush won't tolerate wet conditions. This shrub likes well-aerated, nutrient-rich soils and grows best when roots are planted near the soil surface.
Crepe myrtle can handle drought but will grow faster and more vigorously if you keep it well watered; this is especially true for the first year you have the plant, before the roots are established. You can also fertilize your crepe myrtle with an all-purpose, general fertilizer in the early spring if you want to stimulate growth. Fertilizer isn't absolutely necessary for your plant's survival, though.
Depending upon where you plant your crepe myrtle, it might require pruning. You can prune your shrub if you have a shape or size that you want to maintain, but this should always be done after the leaves have fallen in the autumn. Never prune any branch that is thicker than three inches in diameter, because hard pruning will result in excessive leafy growth and reduced or delayed flowering (plus, the weight of the flowers could cause skinny branches to droop). If you remove old flower clusters, you'll promote new flowering.
