Crepe Myrtle Sprouts

Question

I have a crepe myrtle that I’m getting sprouts along roots. When and how can I replant these? I have tried several ways, but they die.

Answer 1

As long as the temps are moderate, like between 55 F and 75 F, a plant can be moved fine. You can simply dig up the suckers (the term commonly used for these shoots) and pot them up in potting soil. When you dig them up, make sure some of the roots come with the sucker. Keep them well watered and in the shade. When you see new leaf growth, they are ready to be transplanted into the ground. This process will not hurt the mother plant.

I will warn you though that the suckers will not likely look like the mother. Often, crepe myrtles will be grafted trees. This means they take a pretty, but weak variety, and graft it onto the roots of a hardier, but not as pretty, variety. The suckers actually grow from that rootstock. It will be a crepe myrtle, but will look different from the mother tree.