Leaves Starting to Change on Crepe Myrtle. Time to Bring in?

[Apex37]

First year in bonsai so still learning and this will be my first winter. I know on all my other tropicals I need to start bringing them in once it starts dipping below 50. My crepe myrtle being sub-tropical, I assume to treat the same. The leaves are already starting to change pigments and getting a reddish tinge. We got our first night below 50 last night, but we still have another week of lows in the mid 50s-low 60s. Should I start bringing it in now?

They'll be under a grow light all winter, so not sure if it matters them dropping and losing all their leaves or not.

 

[just.wing.it]

Grow light over winter? In TX!?

 

[just.wing.it]

Deciduous trees don't need any light over winter...no photosynthetic materials left....
I'd keep it outside year round....burty it in the ground on the north side of your house if you're worried.

 

[Apex37]

The grow light is for only tropicals, peppers, philodendron, and hibiscuses that have been outside. None of my deciduous trees will be brought in, unless we have a crazy freeze like last year.

My question is regarding the crepe myrtle since it is sub-tropical if it should be left out like my other deciduous trees or brought in with my other tropicals.

 

[just.wing.it]

Deciduous trees don't need any light over winter...no photosynthetic materials left....

Subtropical subschmopical....

 

[badatusernames]

I thought these were meant to be treated as deciduous? That was my understanding, but if I'm wrong, I'm glad you made the thread before it got cold here!

 

[Apex37]

I thought these were meant to be treated as deciduous? That was my understanding, but if I'm wrong, I'm glad you made the thread before it got cold here!

I have no idea, that's what I'm asking. Lol

 

[Hartinez]

Some crapes can handle more than others. Being that you are in Zone 8 I would er on the side of leaving it outside. Do you know the type of crape myrtle it is?

 

[Apex37]

Some crapes can handle more than others. Being that you are in Zone 8 I would er on the side of leaving it outside. Do you know the type of crape myrtle it is?

Unfortunately no, it's a semi-dwarf based on leaf size but past that I'm not sure. I don't mind leaving it out and treating it the same as others, I wasn't sure.

 

[Carol 83]

I wasn't sure.

No problem, that's what this place is for, to help. I am in a considerably colder zone than you and keep mine in an unheated, detached garage over the winter. They lose their leaves and are slow to wake up in the spring just like my landscape one, but do fine.

 

[coachspinks]

I have never really understood the tropical/semi-tropical designation given to crepe myrtles. It is safe to zero degrees and can live well north of the "subtropics." Of course, in a pot it is not as hardy but in zone 8 it should be fine. As others have said, sink the pot into the ground out of the wind and it should be fine.

 

[penumbra]

Every crepe myrtle I have seen or heard of should be kept outside in your climate. Most of them do well here in my climate.

 

[badatusernames]

Every crepe myrtle I have seen or heard of should be kept outside in your climate. Most of them do well here in my climate.

Good, because that's what I thought and I don't have room for them inside haha

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Crepe myrtle is a deciduous that is cold hardy down to at least zone 7, with some hardier cultivars being able to take zone 6. I live in zone 7b and they are in landscape all over the place.

 

[JudyB]

A rule of thumb is that if the tree is hardy to your area (hardiness zone) in the natural landscape, then you should see if the tree is hardy in one zone colder than your area. If it is, then in a pot the tree can be kept outside in a wind/sun protected area with no issues over winter as far as the temps are concerned. If you have a lot of vermin, then you may need to do a better protection than just mulch. And dormant trees need no light -and light and heat are your enemy in winter as they may cause your tree to wake up earlier than your spring actually occurs, which is big trouble. Bringing anything but actual Tropical in your area may be a bigger problem than keeping them outside.

 

[AcerAddict]

In zone 8, you can leave Crape Myrtles outside. They can handle winter in zone 7 or higher. If you guys in TX have another freakish winter storm like last year, then put it in the garage.

 

[Maiden69]

I left all my trees in the ground with the pots covered with mulch except my ficus and the luma apiculata. They were all covered in snow for 2 weeks and none of them had any issues.

 

[bwaynef]

I have crape myrtles in the landscape that've survived down to 6°F. My one in a pot (think Anderson flat-ish) didn't hiccup.