Planting Crepe Myrtle Near Elderberry

Question

I have a young crepe myrtle tree planted about 5ft away and 10ft away from two different elderberry plants. All three are about a year old. I’ve read that crepe myrtle roots are shallow and spread; and also that elderberry plants are sensitive to anything infringing on their roots. Should I pull up the crepe myrtle? Thank you in advance for your help.

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Answer 1

It sounds cramped to me. Elderberries can get 5-6' wide and Crape Myrtles even more so but, it depends on the particular variety of CM (check the plant label or go to the place where you bought it). The elderberries may not get much sun if the CM crowds them with its canopy. Both have shallow roots, with the CM roots spreading out horizontally up to three times as far as the canopy is wide. But the CM root system is not terribly bad as I have some plants under the canopy of large/tall/wide 30+ year old specimens.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/crepe-myrtle/crepe-myrtle-root-system.htm#:~:text=Crepe%20myrtle%20roots%20do%20not%20sink%20taproots%20deep,times%20as%20far%20as%20the%20canopy%20is%20wide.