Will I regret planting crepe myrtle in my small front yard?

[Anonymous]

Considering planting a crepe myrtle in my small front yard that is mostly brick patio. Will I spend the rest of my days cleaning up petals from patio and petals tracked into my house?

TIA

[Anonymous]

Yes. It will take over everything unless you keep it trimmed every year. Makes so much mess. These tress look beautiful in large wide open spaces

[Anonymous]

I planted one last summer in my small backyard and I love it! It’s growing nicely and will provide some much needed shade soon. Haven’t had any issues w it making a mess but I don’t really care about petals…I just love the color. It makes me happy.

[Anonymous]

I planted a mini crape myrtle and the landscaper said it's not going to get more than 5 feet tall. You may want to try that. It was planted last summer and it's about 3 feet now.

[Anonymous]

No matter what you plant, you'll have to clean up leaves/flowers. I think a crepe myrtle is a good choice because it's interesting year round - as long as you don't blunt cut the top as so many people do. That's AWFUL! Get a dwarf variety and trim the branches as needed and it will look so much better when there are no leaves. It's a beautiful tree!

https://themanfromearth.blogspot.com/2008/07/top-ten-crepe-myrtle-no-nos.html?commentPage=2

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

[Anonymous]

Crape mrytles are a really messy small tree and as other said - better in an open area / not near hardscape. There are many other pretty trees to use in a small yard - including the taller Japanese maples. Stewartia is a lovely tree but will fill the yard as it’s low branching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. It will take over everything unless you keep it trimmed every year. Makes so much mess. These tress look beautiful in large wide open spaces

False. educate yourself. There are four sizes at a minimum: miniature; dwarf (the latter are shrub size); medium (18 feet or so) and tall.

[Anonymous]

It's a very dirty tree that sheds flowers and bark, and you will have volunteers.

Why not a nice native like a dogwood?

[Anonymous]

Love ours. Get the small dwarf version. Trim yearly

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the input. We’ve decided to go with a flowering dogwood instead.

[Anonymous]

I love ours!!!

[Anonymous]

Yes. My husband planted 6 in a moment of wild enthusiasm, and they've taken over. I hate them. Dogwoods are so much more elegant. Good choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. My husband planted 6 in a moment of wild enthusiasm, and they've taken over. I hate them. Dogwoods are so much more elegant. Good choice.

Ours have stayed tiny for 2 years. Are we doing something wrong or are they VERY slow growers?

[Anonymous]

I planted on several years ago in my front yard. I like it so much, I planted another! I have the single trunk variety.

Dogwoods are disease prone. I love them but feel sad when I see people try so hard to hold on the them, esp when there is only one good side to the tree.