Crepe myrtle branches bowing

Question: Hi,
After some rains and a storm last night, a couple of our crepe myrtle branches are really bent over and I’m afraid they might snap. They seem so heavy I doubt they will be able to pull themselves up again, but I’m not sure. Do you have any  suggestions? Photo 2584 shows where the branch that is most bent over joins the tree in case that is helpful.

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 July 23, 2024, 11:59 AM EDT
response: This is quite typical for many varieties of crapemyrtle, and there isn't much you can do about it except to consider trimming off spent flower heads (those going to seed) to reduce the weight on the branch end. This phenomenon happens to young plants too, where at the nursery they're being grown, since they have more slender stems at that age, they can bend considerably after heavy irrigation or rain. Usually they become upright again after blooming. Avoid heavy, regular pruning of the tree as this results in a worsening of this issue, since regrowth from drastic cut-backs is weaker than the original branch structure had been and will be more prone to breakage. The plant pictured does not appear to have been pruned that way in the past, but we wanted to mention it just in case it was being considered going forward, since the practice of "topping" crapemyrtles, even though not at all healthy for the tree, is unfortunately still widespread.  Miri

responder: The Question Asker Replied July 24, 2024, 7:45 AM EDT
response: Thank you for this super helpful information. We inherited this tree from the previous homeowners and are new to crape myrtles. I appreciate knowing not to top it. What kind of pruning, and when, is appropriate? The tree is situated right next to the house and we have trimmed a few of the branches that started scraping the window, but nothing drastic. The other side of the tree (where it's bent in the photos) hangs right over a set of steps, so we need to keep proper head clearance there. Right now we have to almost double over going down the steps in order not to hit the branches.  On Tue, Jul 23, 2024 at 11:59 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

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 July 24, 2024, 9:29 AM EDT
response: Crapemyrtle should not need any regular pruning outside of that which is typical for maintaining the health of any tree: removing crossing branches (so the bark doesn't abrade away where they rub up against each other), pruning off storm breakage or dead wood, and selectively thinning-out any areas with overly-crowded branches (where they connect to the trunk very close to each other). Branches in the way of a walkway can definitely be trimmed back as needed for safety/convenience, and now is an okay time to do so.  Our Pruning Trees web page provides some general guidance, though it's geared more towards mature trees needing more substantial pruning than this one. The "proper pruning cuts" section will be the most relevant, since it applies to any type of pruning so the cut is made in the right location.  Miri

responder: The Question Asker Replied July 24, 2024, 10:33 PM EDT
response: Great, thank you so much. Appreciate the link to the pruning page, too.  On Wed, Jul 24, 2024 at 9:29 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

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 July 25, 2024, 7:56 AM EDT
response: You're welcome.