Crepe Myrtle Leaf Buds

[mattbastin]

Hi
My newly potted crepe myrtle began to produce leaf buds way back in early August due to the warmer weather which was just before a couple of significant frosts. (northern Melbourne suburbs). Consequently these bud are no longer. The plant was potted some time in Autumn this year.
Does anybody have any experience in the regeneration of leaf buds on a dwarf crepe myrtle? I keep my eye out for signs now that the weather is warming up again. There are definite limb die back on some of the finer branches (tooth-pick size or smaller) but no sign as yet of new buds. I have had my plant outside and give it a dose of sunshine whenever possible.
I have a diminutive normal variety crepe myrtle planted in the ground and its doing beautifully with new leaves about to emerge all over.

Regards Matt

[Boics]

Hi Matt.

I find CM's do lose little branches from time to time like you have said.

Now I am not saying to prune the tree all back but as a first port of call I'd be looking to determine whether the branches and/or tree in question is alive..

1. Have you scratched some bark to reveal green?
2. Knowing the finer branches might be difficult to scratch - perhaps cut them back a little to see if they are green inside?

As an FYI I have only 1 CM on my bench right now and it has already leafed out.

[Rory]

Well, there is not much more to say, other than continue to look after it, as though it just hasn't shot yet, as I still have a few varieties of CM that haven't sprouted anything yet, and others that are in full spring mode, sending a tonne of new growth out. Patience is a strong trait you must master with deciduous trees.

I have a Japanese Maple that never lost all its leaves in the winter just gone, and produced new shoots throughout the winter, and is now in full bloom. Different specimens do not always follow text book patterns for their species.

[EdwardH]

Hi I have two dwarf crepe myrtles. Two weeks ago I placed one in a bonsai pot. Whilst it is little more than a bent stick in a pot, it has a couple of buds opening. The other one which was not repotted has not begun to move. The funny thing is that they sit about one metre away from each other.

[Phoenix238]

Tree's seem to have a mind of their own when it comes to breaking out of dormancy, I got 7 tridents from Shibui this year, the 4 bigger ones have leafed out already and the 3 smaller ones haven't even moved yet. Whereas the smallest one, 3yo, which I grew from seed, has been in full leaf for nearly a month