# Is it possible to change blooming color of a crepe myrtle?



## vestaviascott (Mar 7, 2009)

I strongly doubt it, but if there's any chance to save this tree from the chopping block, I want to try it. We have a very large, pink blooming crepe myrtle tree at the corner of our home. I really don't care for the pink blooms.

If there is any way to change the bloom color to red (or better yet, white), I want to give it a try.

I've heard that its possible to make a dogwood's white blooms go pink (by sprinkling red pepper around its base) and I want to go the other way with this pink blooming CM.

I really doubt its possible, but I'm no expert, so at the risk of being flammed on, I'm asking here, fwiw


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

Try cross breeding it with a different color. See what happens. You can also try grafting on branches from the tree you want the color of. Both time consuming.
Not so time consuming: buy the color you want and plant it.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

Hydrangea blooms change color based on soil conditions. I am reasonably sure that does not apply tocrepe myrtle


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## Thunder Chicken (May 22, 2011)

I think you need to make friends with the pink flowers, or get a chainsaw.

Grafting might work for a time to change the color (after a lot of cost and effort and stress to the tree, especially if the tree is older), but the tree can revert to the root stock if any of the grafted branches break or die. Not a permanent fix.

Hydrangeas do vary in color based on soil pH, but tree flowers generally don't.


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## Startingover (Apr 18, 2012)

Crepe myrtles are inexpensive and fast growing. Since you dislike the color consider replacing with a color you like.


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