Do Crape Myrtles Spread

Crepe myrtle roots do not sink taproots deep into the ground or send lateral roots out to crack anything in their path. In fact, the entire crepe myrtle root system is shallow and fibrous, spreading out horizontally up to three times as far as the canopy is wide. … The crepe myrtle is no exception.

How do you keep crepe myrtles from spreading?

Remove suckers regularly as soon as they appear. They are easier to deal with and cause less damage to the tree when they are removed early. Prune them all the way back to their point of origin at the trunk or a root. Make a flush cut.

How close to the house can you plant a crepe myrtle tree?

As a general rule of thumb, plant crape myrtles of this mature size a minimum of 8 to 10 feet from a building wall, and farther if you can. This spacing gives the plant room to expand to its full size. It will naturally tend to grow away from the wall and toward the light.