Crape myrtles put on their best displays in August, with colorful blooms continuing through the hottest part of summer in USDA Hardiness Zones 6-9. Although these shrubs and trees are generally easy to care for, extended heat and drought can put plants under stress, particularly those that are newly planted or growing in containers.
The key to keeping crape myrtles looking their best through late summer is resisting the urge to overmanage them. Established plants generally need little intervention beyond watering during prolonged dry spells and keeping an eye out for pests and disease.
In other words, pause before taking most actions other than grabbing that garden hose. Instead, focus on maintaining healthy growing conditions now and save structural pruning and other significant maintenance for the appropriate time of year. Here’s what to do (and what to avoid) as you consider crape myrtle care this August. While there are numerous varieties of crape myrtles available, Nature Hills offers a lovely series called Center Stage, with coral being a standout color.
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1. Water Deeply During Extended Heat
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Established crape myrtles are well equipped to cope with heat and drought, but that doesn’t mean they never need water. Newly planted trees and shrubs are particularly vulnerable during prolonged periods of hot, dry weather.
‘The trees that struggle most are almost always the ones planted within the last year or two,’ said Tucker Tremblay, founder and principal designer of Joyner Concepts in Central Texas. Mature crape myrtles generally handle a Texas summer remarkably well.’
When watering during extended heat, provide a deep soaking rather than frequent, shallow watering. ‘In August I’d much rather see someone water deeply once or twice a week than give the tree a light drink every day,’ Tremblay explained. ‘Shallow watering keeps roots near the surface where the soil dries out fastest. Deep watering encourages roots to grow where moisture actually lasts.’
A long-handled watering wand such as the Melnor RelaxGrip Watering Wand with a thumb-controlled flow and a pivoting head from Home Depot can make it easier to direct water to the soil around the root zone rather than wetting the foliage.
Mary Woolman, Woody Ornamental and Edible Product Manager for Star® Roses and Plants, says established crape myrtles generally don’t need supplemental water unless there has been no rain for more than two weeks.
‘If planted in a container, you may want to apply water 1–2 times per week,’ Woolman explained. ‘Water until you see excess dripping out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. Poke your finger 2 inches or more into the soil level to see if the soil is wet below the surface.’
2. Deadhead If You Want More Flowers
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Deadheading isn’t essential for crape myrtles, but removing spent flowers or seed pods can be worthwhile if you want to improve the plant’s appearance or encourage another flush of blooms.
‘You can deadhead, and on some varieties it may encourage another flush of blooms, but I wouldn’t focus on it,’ says Tremblay. ‘If you have a small ornamental tree, go for it. On a mature tree, I’d let it do its thing.’ For removing individual spent flower clusters or seed pods, garden snips are an appropriately sized tool. The Fiskars Stainless Steel Garden Snip available at Lowe’s can squeeze into tight spaces.
Woolman says Bellini® Crape Myrtles are good at cleaning up after themselves, but gardeners who dislike the appearance of the flower seed pods can remove them. ‘If you do not like the appearance of the flower seed pods you can cut those off,’ she advised. ‘This will encourage more flower to come.’
3. Give Crape Myrtles Plenty of Sun
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If your crape myrtle isn’t flowering as heavily as you expected, the problem may not be a lack of fertilizer. Sunlight is one of the most important factors affecting flowering.
‘In my experience, sunlight is the biggest factor in flowering,’ says Tremblay. ‘A crape myrtle getting six to eight hours of direct sun will outperform one planted in partial shade every time, regardless of what fertilizer you use.’
Healthy roots and appropriate watering also contribute to flowering. ‘Healthy roots, consistent watering, and full sun do far more for flowering than any fertilizer will offer,’ Tremblay said.
Tucker Tremblay is the founder and principal designer of Joyner Concepts, a Central Texas landscape design firm. Tucker specializes in creating beautiful, low-maintenance landscapes that are designed to thrive through Texas heat, drought, and everything in between.
Mary Woolman is the Woody and Ornamental Product Manager for Star Roses and Plants and helps oversee the selection, trialing, and introduction of new genetics for the company. She helps bring unique genetics from breeders all over the globe through the trialing process, with the end goals of solving problems and providing the best products for the market.
4. Keep an Eye Out for Pests
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Inspect foliage and stems regularly for signs of insect activity. Aphids and Japanese beetles are among the pests that can cause problems on crape myrtles.
For aphids, Woolman recommends neem oil spray or a very diluted soapy-water spray. ‘Japanese beetles are harder to treat without a harsh insecticide, but you can manually remove them or brush your hand across the plant often to make them fly away,’ Woolman advised.
Tremblay also recommends watching for crape myrtle bark scale and the sooty mold that can develop afterward. ‘One thing homeowners often miss is that the black coating isn’t the actual problem. It’s growing on the sticky residue left behind by the insects,’ he explained. ‘Treat the insects first, and the mold will gradually disappear.’
6. Don’t Prune Your Crape Myrtle in August
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Put the pruning shears away for now. August is not the time for significant pruning, particularly when plants are already dealing with high temperatures.
‘Don’t prune,’ said Tremblay. ‘Pruning encourages fresh growth, and that tender new growth immediately has to face the hottest part of the year. Save structural pruning for dormancy in late winter.’
Woolman also recommends avoiding pruning during summer heat. ‘You can remove dead branches in late spring once you see active growth,’ she advised. “It’s better not to prune in the heat of summer but rather in spring once you begin to see leaves break open.’
Most importantly, don’t drastically cut back a crape myrtle simply because it has grown larger than expected. ‘And the biggest never: don’t ever top a crape myrtle,’ Tremblay said.
7. Prepare For Fall By Maintaining, Not Fertilizing
‘August isn’t about getting ready for fall as much as it is getting the tree there healthy,’ said Tremblay. ‘Stay consistent with watering during extended dry periods, maintain a proper mulch ring to conserve soil moisture, keep an eye out for pests, and save the major maintenance until the tree is dormant.’
A mulch such as the Jolly Gardener Black Mulch found at Ace Hardware does a great job with helping your watering last longer.
‘It’s best to stop all fertilizer treatments before heading into fall so that plants may go dormant naturally,’ Woolman recommended. She also said that crape myrtles that are generally hardy in USDA Zones 7–9 typically don’t require any special winter protection and will resprout from the branches.
Some newer varieties that are bred to the colder conditions of Zone 5 may die back to the ground before resprouting the following year.
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For the rest of August, the best crape myrtle care is relatively simple: provide water when conditions require it, keep plants healthy and free of pests, remove seed pods if you want to encourage another flush of flowers, and resist the temptation to prune.
Your crape myrtle will have a better chance of finishing its spectacular summer display and entering fall in good shape. If all goes well, you’ll be set to provide what your crape myrtle needs as it wakes up in March.
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