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You can get crepe myrtles to grow tall by focusing on proper sunlight, pruning techniques, and soil care that encourages vertical growth.
Crepe myrtles naturally want to reach for the sky, but without the right conditions, they can stay stubby and bushy instead of becoming those tall, elegant showstoppers you see in Southern landscapes.
If you’ve been wondering how to get crepe myrtles to grow tall, the answer isn’t just about planting and hoping for the best—it’s about giving them what they need to stretch upward.
In this post, we’ll break down the exact steps to help your crepe myrtles grow tall, from choosing the right variety to pruning the right way, plus common mistakes that keep them short.
Let’s dig in.
Why Crepe Myrtles Struggle To Grow Tall
Before we get into how to get crepe myrtles to grow tall, it helps to understand why they sometimes don’t.
Crepe myrtles can grow tall quickly when they’re happy, but a few factors can stall their height.
The most common culprit is improper pruning—specifically, topping.
When you chop off the top of a crepe myrtle, it responds by sending out a bunch of weak, spindly shoots instead of a strong central trunk.
This “crepe murder” as many gardeners call it, ruins the natural shape and keeps the tree short and knobby.
Another reason crepe myrtles don’t grow tall is lack of sunlight.
These trees are sun worshippers, and without at least six hours of direct sun a day, they’ll stay leggy and sparse rather than tall and full.
Poor soil also plays a role, because crepe myrtles need well-draining ground with moderate fertility to push out vigorous new growth each year.
If you want your crepe myrtles to grow tall, you’ve got to start with the basics: full sun, good soil, and a hands-off approach to pruning.
How To Get Crepe Myrtles To Grow Tall: The Key Steps
Now let’s get into the nitty-gritty of how to get crepe myrtles to grow tall with practical, actionable advice.
These steps work whether you’re planting new crepe myrtles or trying to rescue an older one that’s been stunted.
1. Choose A Tall-Growing Variety From The Start
If you’re planting new, the easiest way to get crepe myrtles to grow tall is picking a variety that’s naturally tall.
Dwarf crepe myrtles only reach 3 to 6 feet, while semi-dwarfs top out around 10 feet, so they’ll never get tall no matter what you do.
Instead, look for standard or tree-form crepe myrtles that can hit 20 to 30 feet or more.
Varieties like Natchez, Muskogee, and Tuscarora are famous for their tall, tree-like growth habits.
When you start with a variety built to be tall, getting crepe myrtles to grow tall becomes a much simpler job.
2. Plant In Full Sun
Crepe myrtles can grow tall only when they get the energy they need from the sun.
Plant yours in a spot that receives at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight every day.
If your crepe myrtle is tucked in a shady corner, it will stretch toward the light but end up weak and floppy rather than tall and sturdy.
Full sun also promotes thicker trunks and stronger branches, which support the height you’re after.
So if you’re serious about how to get crepe myrtles to grow tall, start by checking your planting site for shade.
3. Prune Less, Not More
Here’s the big one: to get crepe myrtles to grow tall, you must stop topping them.
Topping forces the tree to branch out from the cut point, creating a bushy, low canopy that ruins height.
Instead, prune only in late winter or early spring, and only remove suckers from the base, crossed branches, and dead wood.
If you want a tall, single-trunk crepe myrtle, selectively remove lower side branches over the years.
This encourages the tree to put all its energy into growing upward and thickening the main trunk.
You can help crepe myrtles grow tall by never cutting the top, period.
4. Water Deeply But Infrequently
Crepe myrtles grow tall when their roots are encouraged to dig deep.
Shallow, frequent watering creates shallow roots, which leads to a stunted tree.
Water deeply once or twice a week during the first couple of years, letting the moisture soak down at least 12 inches.
Once established, crepe myrtles are drought-tolerant, and too much water can actually slow their upward growth.
A deep watering schedule is a simple answer to how to get crepe myrtles to grow tall, because it builds a strong foundation underground.
5. Fertilize Sparingly For Vertical Growth
You might think fertilizer is the magic trick for getting crepe myrtles to grow tall, but too much is actually a problem.
High-nitrogen fertilizer pushes lush leaf growth at the expense of height and blooms.
Instead, use a balanced fertilizer or one with a bit more phosphorus, like a 8-8-8 or 10-10-10, in early spring.
Apply it lightly around the drip line, not right at the trunk.
This gives your crepe myrtles the nutrients to grow tall and flower hard without turning them into leafy blobs.
Common Mistakes That Keep Crepe Myrtles Short
Even with the best intentions, you might be making mistakes that work against your goal of getting crepe myrtles to grow tall.
Let’s look at the usual suspects so you can avoid them.
1. Pruning At The Wrong Time
If you prune in fall or early winter, you’re cutting off next year’s flower buds and stimulating late growth that gets zapped by cold.
This stress keeps your crepe myrtle from growing tall because it’s always trying to recover.
Stick to late winter or early spring, right before new growth starts.
2. Overcrowding The Planting Site
When you plant crepe myrtles too close together, they compete for sun and nutrients.
This competition leads to thinner, shorter trunks.
Space standard crepe myrtles at least 10 to 15 feet apart to give each one room to grow tall.
3. Ignoring Suckers At The Base
Suckers are those skinny shoots that pop up from the roots at the base of the trunk.
If you leave them, they steal energy from the main trunk and make the tree look more like a bush.
Remove them regularly so your crepe myrtles focus their energy upward.
So, How To Get Crepe Myrtles To Grow Tall?
You can get crepe myrtles to grow tall by choosing a tall variety, planting in full sun, and pruning with restraint.
The biggest secret is to never top them and to let their natural form take over.
With deep watering, light feeding, and a little patience, your crepe myrtles will grow tall and reward you with towering clusters of blooms.
Remember that crepe myrtles grow tall at their own pace, and forcing them with heavy pruning or extra fertilizer backfires.
Give them the right conditions and step back, and you’ll see them reach toward the sky in just a few seasons.
So now you know exactly how to get crepe myrtles to grow tall—go apply these tips and enjoy your sky-high showstoppers.