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I had a quick question. I was going to the beach last weekend and my mother noticed some Crepe Myrtles with an interesting shape. They almost had an umbrella shape. There were the ubiquitous multiple trunks, but the tops were almost symmetrically even domes. Almost like umbrellas. There was even an inverted bowl shape underneath, because the branches were hanging down. Everything looked sharp, so they could potentially be pruning it regularly to keep it looking that way.

My question is whether this is something the tree does naturally as it ages, or if it's a result of forcing the tree through pruning, which I don't want to do for the health of the tree and my time.

I looked for pictures of similar trees, but couldn't find any. I've included two that are as close as I can get. It's more sharply defined than these two, though.

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Edit: Here is a picture that is more representative of the Crepe Myrtles in my area. I know this one isn't that large, but typically, the ones around here grow up and out as apposed to drooping.

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This is their natural form. I've had single stemmed as well as multiple stems and they are supposed to be a large shrub/small tree. I've never seen a crepe myrtle look other than this UMBRELLA, fountain shape. They need a bit of pruning while young to get rid of errant branches, unhealthy branches, but otherwise this is what you get with a crepe myrtle...one of my loves and I've never been in a zone that is optimum for these guys. Lucky you...

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  • Thanks Stormy. 90% of the ones I see around my area, even the large ones, tend to grow up and out with not a lot of drooping into an umbrella shape. I'll add an extra picture that's representative of the crepe myrtles around here. They're currently in bloom basically everywhere I drive in town. They're all over the place.
    – Dalton
    Aug 5, 2016 at 12:32
  • Breath taking little tree. I've used this in atriums over here zone 5 and there are a few others trees even more hardy that have the same 4 season beauty with which to make incredible outdoor rooms, informal patios...plant a grove of 3 or 5 or more, lay a bit of gravel for the floor and add a couple of comfy chairs, ice tea...so much for so little effort.
    – stormy
    Aug 5, 2016 at 23:21
  • (please pull back any mulch, grass, soil from the bottom of those trunks)
    – stormy
    Aug 5, 2016 at 23:23
  • I love the fountain shape of this small tree, the multiple trunks are best, low disease, few insect problems, breath taking flower display. This is one of my favorite trees to create an informal...patio. A grouping of 3, 5 or more, gravel floor and one has a mind blowing gorgeous outdoor room with trunks defining the space, a leafy ceiling with tons of petals raining about.
    – stormy
    Aug 6, 2016 at 1:02

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