All around your town as spring approaches you see beautiful large crepe myrtles that are just about to wake up and start blooming being mutilated into knobby disfigured victims. This is no way to treat your slumbering friends.
First, take a step back and decide if pruning is even needed. If you are happy with the shape and size of your tree why would you mess with it? If you cannot decide, have a heart-to-heart with someone (a spouse, family member, neighbor, friend) before you do something you might regret.
You would not plant an oak tree and expect a 4 ft. bush, so don’t expect any different from crepe myrtles. There are varieties like the Delta Jazz crepe myrtle from the Southern Living Plant Collection® that are tree form and can reach heights of 10-12 ft.
Knowing the growth habits of the plants you decide to introduce into your landscape can save you a lot of effort in the long run, and keep you from becoming known around town as the resident Crepe Murderer!!!