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Floppy Crapemyrtles: Caused by Severe Pruning

Severe winter pruning ("crape murder") produces long, weak, vigorous shoots that flop under flower weight. Instead, only remove limbs thinner than a little finger. This maintains natural structure and strong branches.

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Prune selectively, not severely, for upright, strong growth.

About Gardening: Why Lawn Looks Burned After Mowing in Summer Heat; Fall Care for Summer Phlox: Cut Back, Clean Up & Mulch; Perennial Cleanup Guide: When to Cut Back and Transplant in Wisconsin; Crapemyrtle Bark Scale: What We Know; Crapemyrtle Cut to the Ground: Will It Return?; Dwarf Crape Myrtles: 'Chickasaw', 'Pocomoke', Petite Series; Are Any Crapemyrtles Fragrant? (Correction: Some Are!); Crape Myrtle Pruning: Avoiding the "Brushy" Look for Better Blooms; Pruning Raspberries and Blackberries: Timing by Cane Type; Crapemyrtle Pruning: Shannon Pable on Structure & Pest Management

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