Drive through almost any Metro Atlanta neighborhood in late winter and you'll see crape myrtles chopped down to bare stubs, a practice arborists nickname crape murder.
Topping forces weak, whip-like shoots to sprout from each cut. Those shoots bend and break under heavy summer blooms, and the knobby knuckles that form at the cuts invite decay. The tree also loses the graceful vase shape and smooth, peeling bark that make it so striking in Brookhaven and Dunwoody yards.
Proper pruning is lighter. It removes crossing branches, suckers at the base, and deadwood while leaving the main trunks intact. If a crape myrtle is simply too big for its spot, selective thinning or replacement beats hard cuts.
Crape myrtle pruning season arrives in late winter, so now is a good time to plan. Our certified arborists prune for long-term health and natural shape.
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A side-by-side of a topped crape myrtle and a naturally pruned one is ideal, ideally from real local properties. Authentic photos outperform stock images; a Canva graphic works well if no comparison photo is available.
Canva text suggestion: "Say No to Crape Murder" or "Prune Crape Myrtles, Don't Chop Them"