On 4/12/10 9:00 AM, internaughtfull wrote:
Hi,

I have a crape myrtle in the front yard, probably about 30 years old,
about
25 ft high, blooms huge. I had some brush removed on a slope and the
guys
said they would prune the myrtle also, since it was getting near some
power lines.
When I checked it out they cut it to about 6 ft high and the branches
are 1-2" or
so thick. Of course I could choke those guys it looks horrible. Will
this thing
recover? Should I just remove it and plant a quick growing nellie
holly?

itchy

My experience with crape myrtle is that it will indeed survive heavy
pruning. But it might take 2-3 years until it looks good again. I
don't like crape myrtle because it suckers badly from the base, creating
a thicket.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary