When is the best time of year to prune or trim a crepe myrtle?

Crape myrtle trees have separate pruning and trimming seasons. The best time of the year to prune these trees is in February and March, and the best time of the year to trim is in the late fall.

Crape myrtle trees stop growing during the winter, grow during the spring and bloom during the summer. Prune these trees after the last of the frost and snow, which normally occurs during February and March.

Not everyone trims their crape myrtle trees. The best time to trim these trees for shaping purposes is in the late fall after all of the blooms have fallen. If there are still blooms on the tree when it is trimmed, the trimming process stunts the growth of the cut branch.