Heavy Snow Weighing Down Crape Myrtle? 3 Steps to Save the Crape

At The Grow Monster, we are always excited to see a winter snowstorm because we don’t get very much snow here in Virginia. Recently we have had a very heavy wet snowstorm sending us several inches in just a few hours! Our Crape Myrtle plants are really sagging and bending under the weight of this heavy snow. I know there are so many in our neighborhood, so I thought to write this post about heavy snow weighing down Crape Myrtle to help everyone save their Crapes during this heavy winter snow.

Heavy snow weighing down Crape Myrtle? Remove snow from the plant, make clean cuts at any breaks in the branches, and make sure to properly prune in the future.

If you follow these 3 easy steps, you should be able to save your Crape Myrtle for years to come. Read on for a more thorough explanation of each step.

1. Carefully Remove the Heavy Snow from Each Crape Myrtle.

Under the weight of heavy snow, the Crape Myrtle is susceptible to breakage. Now is the time to be gentle with this otherwise resilient plant. Take a large plastic leaf rake and help shake the snow off the branches, taking care to not snap any in the process. Make sure the tines are facing away from the branches as you move the heavy snow weighing down Crape Myrtle.

Start at the base of the tree as you move the rake, with the tines outward, away from the tree so that it doesn’t snag on the branches. Do this a couple of times on each group of branches. While you are moving up the branches, make sure to tap any clusters of seed pods to remove the snow. That’s where a lot of weight will be held, which causes the bending branches.

As you go around the tree, you can use a broom to get in the tighter spots and brush the snow off the tender and smaller branches and tips. You will inevitably have some damage to the tips of the branches, but don’t worry about that. The tips will have new growth in the spring where new flowers will grow.

After you’ve removed the snow from the large branch clusters and tips with the seed pods, note that seed pods will fall off naturally and that is not cause for alarm. They would fall off anyway in the spring making way for new growth. Go around the tree placing your hand on the major branches, shaking off whatever remaining snow may be left.

You want to make sure to save most of the branch from breaking. You will start to see the branches moving back in to place, be careful as some might snap back quickly and could be dangerous. It would be helpful to have another person holding back any branches that might whip around while cleaning the heavy snow weighing down Crape Myrtle.

2. Make Clean Cuts Towards the Trunk at Any Breaks in the Branches Where There Was Heavy Snow Weighing Down Crape Myrtle.

If there are broken branches, move the ones that have completely broken off the plant to the side, so you don’t trip over them while working with the Crape Myrtle. Be careful of any dangling branches that may be above you from the Crape Myrtle or any neighboring trees. They don’t call those dangling branches “widow-makers” for nothing.

Take a sharp pair of loppers and cut the broken branch on the side attached to the trunk. Making sure that there is a clean cut will help protect the tree from any further damage. A clean cut will have a smaller surface area exposed than a long rip in the bark where the branch has broken.

Don’t worry about trying to prune the Crape Myrtle right now, focus on helping get the snow off all the healthy branches and making clean cuts at any breaks. This will help prevent more breakage, especially if it is still snowing or you are expecting heavy winds.

3. Properly Prune Your Crape Myrtle When the Snow Has Melted

Eventually, the snow will melt, and you can properly prune your Crape Myrtle. The best time of year to prune a Crape Myrtle is in the winter or very early spring before the plant has put on new growth. You can see my list for winter garden preparation at the link here. The Crape Myrtle will produce flower buds on new growth each year. Keep in mind, you don’t want to remove too much of the plant at any one time because that could end up killing the Crape Myrtle.

Many people mistakenly believe they should cut off a huge amount of the Crape Myrtle and end up weakening their plant. The Grow Monster asked an Arborist how much of a tree you can trim, and he said you don’t want to remove more than a third at any one time, especially if the tree needs to be cut due to damage from weather. Studies show topping Crape Myrtles actually increases decay to the plant.

Improper pruning and lack of pruning causes weak growth that is prone to breakage. You should only be trimming the spindly branches, any branches pointing upwards, and the tips of the plant each year. Also, remove any suckers that might be growing at the base of the tree. This will keep the Crape Myrtle nicely shaped, ensure proper airflow, and create lots of new growth.

Final Thoughts

A few minutes in the snow can help save your plant when there is heavy snow weighing down Crape Myrtle. Taking care of a Crape Myrtle following a snowstorm is not difficult. Just remember to follow these 3 steps and carefully remove the heavy snow from each Crape Myrtle, make clean cuts above any breaks in the branches, and properly prune your Crape Myrtle going forward. These simple steps can keep your Crape Myrtle blooming for years to come.