This is another picture of another crepe that started off like the other but look close and you will see the little strange growth.

Witch's broom type growth on crepe myrtles is often caused by using improper pruning techniques. This is so commonly done to crepe myrtles that the term "crepe murder" has been coined for the practice. Naturally shaped crepe myrtles are beautiful. Unfortunately, the poor pruning practices are so widespread, and often done by unknowledgeable landscape crews, that homeowners think that is how they are supposed to be maintained.

The crApe myrtle in the picture has definitely been pruned horridly!!!!!!!!, but that is not what is causing the atypical growth pattern. It is very very likely to be the result of herbicide (such as glyphosate/RoundUp) damage.

Yes.
The glyphosate was applied last year, perhaps in the name of "fall cleanup."
This is a typical springtime response from a sub-lethal dose during a fall application.

Thanks for everyones replies. Can you tell me the proper way to prune?

And Jean, yes we did use glyphosate last fall but we did not put it on the plant, we have mulch at the base of the plant, and the glyphosate was put around the perimeter which was 2feet from the plant. We are still learning so any advice is helpful. Thanks

The herbicide got tot he tree because it was airborne, either via a breeze or via spray turbulence.

...or possibly because it was mixed way to strong and applied heavily in the crape's rootzone.

Did these crepe myrtles survive and come back this season? I ask because I have the same situation going on right now.

Does anyone know if the tree will recoup next season??

Has the growth progressed?

What does it look like now?

Debo, no one can predict with ANY certainty what your crApe will do. Sometimes woody plants zapped like that will come back, sometimes they don't. It's a toss-up at best if the picture you posted is recent.

The tree looks the same today as it did on the 18th when the pic was taken. I did the scratch test and it's still alive. I guess I'll wait and see what it does next season.

Why would you keep something like that?

Um because it may be just fine come next season. If not then it's gone.

Debo,

I think rhizo was asking the original poster the question, not you.

Start your own thread next time.

I see pictures like this and I am very sad. If you want to cut a tree down, just cut it all the way down and dig out the roots. Crape myrtle has very hard roots to dig out, so some people jsut cut them down like this, crape murder, and they suffer horribly.

I say to the original poster, just cut it all the way down and slowly dig out the roots. Put that poor thing out of it's misery.