Crepe Myrtle purned

Question: This crepe myrtle is 4-5 years old. I recently pruned it for the first time.  I pruned it the 3rd week of March.  Now I’m concerned that I may have done harm to it!!
Please tell me what you think.

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied April 11, 2023, 2:47 PM EDT
response: The plant probably did not need much if any pruning, unfortunately, so for the future we'd recommend not trimming any branches unless they need it for health reasons: crossing/rubbing stems, broken or injured stems, or those growing into the canopy (instead of away from it, where they'll have room to mature). Crapemyrtle in some home or commercial landscapes are often pruned by landscapers not well-trained in tree trimming, which gives other gardeners a poor example of tree care and the misleading impression that regular or drastic pruning is needed or desirable. Topping them is common and the worst practice to use, but shortening major limbs can also cause problems over the long term.  There are different styles of tree pruning based on what the gardener is trying to accomplish, but usually shortening branches is not an approach that results in healthy regrowth. (When branch removal is warranted, that entire portion of branch down to the next juncture with a larger branch or trunk must be removed.) Crapemyrtle do tolerate pruning fairly well and tend to rebound admirably, which may be why these practices persist, but their tolerance for this does not mean the resulting regrowth will be developing in a way that benefits the long-term health of the plant. (Each time regrowth is forced and the original branches removed, the attachment points of those new stems risk being weak and more likely to fail in future years as they mature. Plus, forced regrowth of branches and their foliage uses-up stored energy reserves that the tree could instead be putting towards a full complement of blooms later in the season.) Late-season pruning in late summer through autumn also runs the risk of reduced winter hardiness, an issue with Crapemyrtle in our area given that they are near the northern end of their cold tolerances. Your March timing is ok (April might be more practical in the future since Crapemyrtle leafs-out so late) by itself, but the degree of pruning already done is greater than what was probably necessary. Without images of the plant before this trimming to assess, it's hard for us to tell where, if any, pruning was needed. Going forward, you now may need to do further trimming of what young stems start forming so that they too do not pose a hazard to tree health by growing in the wrong direction or crossing-over neighbors where bark is rubbed away and wounds form.  Since no more than a third of a tree's canopy should be removed any one year, there isn't much you can do right now to remedy this, as further pruning to correct the misplaced cuts on some stems would remove even more growth to the point of being too drastic. However, in future years, some of those lowest limbs that are now stub-like may need to be taken off completely. You'll have to wait and see how the resulting growth forms. Consult a certified arborist or experienced landscapers which specialize in pruning (with tree health in mind, not just for aesthetics) for help if you are more comfortable having someone else do the corrective pruning. Some arborists do not work for tree-care companies and instead consult independently in case they are more unbiased towards tree care techniques and their costs.  Miri

responder: The Question Asker Replied April 11, 2023, 3:40 PM EDT
response: Miri thank you for your response.  Attached is a picture of the Crepe Myrtle in August, 2022.  I hope my tree is going to bloom this year!!

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied April 11, 2023, 3:43 PM EDT
response: You're welcome. That's a beautiful tree! Looks like it might be the variety 'Acoma' with that growth habit, but it's hard to tell since there are over a hundred crapemyrtle cultivars on the market these days. Your tree will probably still bloom, but to a lesser degree than it did in years past simply due to the fact that it has fewer branches and will be putting lots of its energy into trying to regrow.  Miri