Emerald Ash Borer Trapping in the Metroplex

Emerald Ash Borer Trapping in the Metroplex

By Allen Smith

It’s not a complicated device:  just some purple plastic, coated with glue and baited with a clear pouch containing a lure– but this emerald ash borer (EAB) trap is a scientifically-designed instrument and serves as our first line of defense against EAB infestation.  Since 2011, Texas A&M Forest Service entomologists have been placing these traps in ash trees across Texas looking for the emerald ash borer.  The trap is known as a purple prism trap and is designed to catch adult EAB after they emerge in the spring.  A specific shade of purple is used as it has been proven to be effective in attracting female buprestid beetles.  The female EAB equate the purple color with the appearance of an ash tree trunk where they lay eggs.  Male buprestids, including EAB, are more attracted to a green color which is something that these visual insects would except to see in a tree canopy. 

Traps are held in the open position by a pot metal spreader to which raising/lowering lines are affixed as well as the EAB lure. Emerald ash borers, being visual creatures, do not use pheromones to locate mates as extensively as other insects such as bark beetles for example.  EAB lures are clear pouches containing  z-3 Hexenol, an alcohol compound used to mimic the volatile smells given off by ash foliage.

Traps are coated with a very sticky glue that persists the length of the 120-day trapping season.  Swarming, aggregating, and mating EAB become entangled in the glue and cannot escape.  Traps are hung in ash trees throughout the target county and checked after 60 days to see if any EAB have been caught.  At this time, a new hexenol lure is attached and trapping resumes for another 60 days.  After 120 total days of trapping, the traps are checked again for EAB and then removed from the locations.  Traps in counties where EAB has been reported, are checked weekly.  All caught EAB are removed and labelled with date of collection and trap name.  Collected samples are then sexed to determine the emergence timing of males vs. females and the opening and closing of the adult flight period window. 

Since the confirmation of the emerald ash borer, Agrilus plannipennis, in Tarrant County (2018) and Denton County (2020), interest in EAB management in the Metroplex has increased.  The Texas A&M Forest Service has been on the lookout for this most destructive forest pest since 2011 when 300 EAB traps were deployed in areas of east Texas with notable ash populations.  This year, approximately 500 EAB traps will deployed across Texas to provide a measure of early detection.  Most of the traps will be scattered throughout east Texas with almost 40 traps covering the Conroe/Houston/Galveston area.  Traps are already deployed for 2022 along the I-35 corridor from San Antonio to the Metroplex.  Dallas, Denton, Tarrant and surrounding Metroplex counties will host approximately 100 EAB traps.  Traps will be located in parks, cemeteries, natural areas, and on rural private lands that contain a sizable ash tree population. 

If you have any questions about emerald ash borers, EAB trapping or EAB management, please contact your local Texas A&M Forest Service office.

Wilt Diseases of Elms in Texas

Wilt Diseases of Elms in Texas

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Saucer Magnolia

Saucer Magnolia

Unique Trees of North Texas:

Saucer Magnolia

(Magnolia x soulangiana)

By Jeremy Priest
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The saucer magnolia is a hybrid exotic ornamental species planted in the Cross Timbers. The X in the scientific name (Magnolia x soulangeana) indicates that this a hybrid species; it was created by crossing two species within the Yuliana subgenus: Yulan magnolia (M. denudata) and purple magnolia (M. liliflora). Saucer magnolia combines the traits of the larger Yulan magnolia with the more colorful but small statured purple magnolia to create a medium size tree with pinkish-white flowers. Both parent species of this hybrid are exotic to North America.

Although a member of the Magnolia genus, this hybrid is in subgenus Yuliana which differs in flower structure from the Magnolia subgenus. Furthermore, all species in the Yuliana subgenus are deciduous, while the Magnolia subgenus contains both deciduous and evergreen species such as our southern magnolia. While southern magnolia is the most well-known native magnolia, there are actually ten magnolia species native to the United States (if you include Puerto Rico).

Saucer magnolia is distinct in early spring as its flowers bloom prior to leaf out. The large, showy, pink-and-white flowers typically appear in early March. Interestingly, the common name seems to come from the cup-and-saucer shape of the flowers in many varieties. The bark is light colored and the leaves are a bright green color with a distinct ovate shape. The buds alternate on the twig and are large, green, and fuzzy through the winter. The trunk is almost always multi-stemmed but is still capable of reaching 20-30 feet in height (usually 25 feet when fully grown). Trunk diameters over 10 inches in the Cross Timbers are uncommon for this medium-size tree.

 In the Arlington Woodland West neighborhood, many original homeowners chose to plant saucer magnolia as memorial trees for a spouse or loved ones. Although decades have passed in some cases, the trees are still growing for the generations that followed. Though the trees are not native and not particularly drought tolerant, they are thriving and have survived for many years at these homes.

 

Although not native, this magnolia’s dazzling early flowers and proven compatibility with post oak forests make saucer magnolia a unique tree of North TexasPart of the resilience of saucer magnolia in this Arlington neighborhood is due to the extensive shade provided by numerous post oaks. In North Texas, saucer magnolias probably do best when planted in shady or partly shady conditions; shade and soil quality are important factors to help these trees tolerate Texas heat. This tree can also grow under building overhangs thanks to its shade tolerance but remember this tree will likely reach at least 20 feet height. Care for this species should include supplemental summer watering; watering lawns for grasses should be sufficient to water established saucer magnolias except in extremely hot and dry weather or drought periods. Saucer magnolia prefers acidic soil and likely will not tolerate heavy clay soils. The species is cold tolerant and survived the 2021 Winter Storm with no problems. Pruning is necessary to keep tree out of walkways due to the drooping nature of the crown.

Although not native, this magnolia’s dazzling early flowers and proven compatibility with post oak forests make saucer magnolia a unique tree of North Texas.

Preparing for Winter

Preparing for Winter

The Texas Winter Storm of 2021 was one for the record books, the first billion-dollar weather disaster of a long and severe weather year https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/billions/.  Not all those billions of dollars were made up of plant related losses, but billions of plants were lost on farms and in landscapes in North Texas. 

While we can’t control the weather, there are some simple things that we can do to help our plants make it through whatever this winter brings.

Top Tips for Winter (plant) Wellness

  • Turn off the irrigation system
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You too can save thousands of gallons of water with one finger.  In the winter months, precipitation often exceeds the amount of water that mostly dormant North Texas landscapes require.  Excess irrigation can contribute to disease development and unnecessarily large water bills.  Save water and your irrigation budget for when it is needed most.  There is another big benefit to turning the system switch to the off position: avoiding l man-made ice events and any subsequent accidents.

  • Mulch

There is a reason that leaves fall before winter. Using leaves as mulch is a simple and effective way to recycle organic material and improve the landscape. Leaves can be used as mulch in vegetable gardens, flower beds and around shrubs and trees. Apply a 3-to-6-inch layer of shredded or crushed leaves around the base of trees and shrubs. Avoid the dreaded mulch volcano effect by keeping mulch away from tree trunks and shrub crowns. In annual and perennial flower beds, a 2-to-3-inch mulch of shredded leaves is ideal. Mulching is especially important in establishing newly planted trees, shrubs, and perennials.  If the natural look of shredded leaves isn’t what you like, top off the leaf mulch with a thin, inexpensive layer of bark mulch.  You’ll get all the benefits of bark at a fraction of the cost.

  • Water right before a freeze

When extremely cold temperatures are expected, watering plants thoroughly before temperatures drop will hold heat in the soil.  A “wet cold” may be unpleasant for people, but it is warmer than a “dry cold.”  Moist soil holds about four times more heat than dry soil and the air temperatures above moist soil can be as much as 5°Fwarmer than air temperatures above dry soil.  Mulch will help hold that moisture in the soil and minimize temperature fluctuations in the root zone. 

  • Prioritizing plant protection

Many of the most commonly used landscape plants in North Texas come to us from even colder climates and will make it through our cold weather just fine. Our North Texas native plants should be able to handle our “normal” winters.  Tropical and subtropical choices such as palms, cycads, and citrus will definitively need extra help.

The winter annuals most frequently planted in North Central Texas: pansies, violas, and ornamental coles such as cabbage and kale, are suitable for planting all way into USDA Hardiness Zone 4 where temperatures fall to -20 F.  While they may slow down a bit in cold weather, they’ll be up and blooming again soon.

The relative cold hardiness of annuals brings up another important point.  Plants that only live one year are often not protected because they will be replaced in a relatively short time anyway.  Save time consuming cold protection practices for more valuable, longer-lived specimens.

  • To cover or not to cover

As people pile on the extra blankets to hold in body heat, they often want to pile covers on their plants.  While a person can bundle up and hold in body heat, the heat that a plant cover can hold in is going to come from the ground.  Therefore plant coverings must be large enough to cover the plants all the way down to the ground and must be anchored.  Rocks, bricks, and container plants can be convenient anchors.  It is ok to use old sheets and blankets for covering, but non-woven frost protection fabrics offer several benefits.  They consistently provide 2-4 degrees F of protection and transmit enough light to plants to keep them photosynthesizing while covered during prolonged periods of cold weather.  Plastic covering should only be used on a frame that keeps the plastic above the plants.  A string of Christmas lights can be used to provide additional heat under this type of cover.  Old-fashioned C7 lights under plastic covered frame can raise temperatures by as much as 18 degrees F.

  • Consider containers

Plants in containers are more susceptible to cold damage than those with roots in the ground.  On the other hand, because they are not in the ground, they can be moved indoors or at least into a more protected outdoor area such as under a covered patio.  Simply grouping containers together will help them stay warm.  Covers placed over containerized plants should reach all the way to the ground, just as they should for in ground plants to hold heat that will radiate from the soil or driveway or patio surface.

  • Prune prudently

Trees should be regularly pruned to minimize the potential for damage during snow and ice storms.  The strongest tree has a central leader, or a trunk that extends all the way to the top of the tree, and branches that are attached at wide angles.  A nearly horizontal branch is not more likely to fail than one that is nearly upright.  Dead branches are going to fall eventually, and even a light snowfall can knock them right out of a tree.  Always prune to remove dead or damaged branches as soon as you notice them and to avoid additional damage to people, plants, and power lines below.  Hiring an ISA Certified Arborist is the best way to protect the largest and most valuable components of your landscape.  Find one at https://www.treesaregood.org/

Cutting back herbaceous perennials such as salvias, buddleias, and Turk’s Cap after the first hard freeze and applying fresh mulch over their roots will help them survive the winter.  Ornamental bunch grasses can use frozen foliage to protect the growing points of the plant which are down at the base of the clump.  Another benefit to not cutting back ornamental grasses until new growth comes out in the spring is the color and texture that they continue to provide in the landscape. 

  • Get outdoors!

Both you and your plants will be healthier if you spend time outdoors even in cold weather.  Take time to enjoy those brave winter bloomers and tough trees and shrubs. 

Hiring an Arborist

Hiring an Arborist

By Jeremy Priest

Have you ever wondered about a problem with your tree or needed pruning work done? The International Society of Arboriculture is one the most well known and respected organizations for tree care credentialing. The ISA’s Find an Arborist tool is useful for verifying credentials or locating professionals in your area, but you should understand that not all certified arborists are consulting arborists.

Many certified arborists work for government organizations that may not allow outside work or work on private property. City and State Foresters often receive calls for help, but these professionals can only provide certain information and recommendations, they usually are not permitted to recommend a particular company for tree care.

Here is a quick rundown of some arborist roles:

  1. County or State – these professionals have greater ability then city foresters to provide recommendations or plans to property owners, but the services they can provide are set and do not include safety inspections of trees on private property. They are a great starting point for finding more information or contact info, but remember that they do not perform actual work on private property.

    City foresters know of tree giveaway opportunities and events

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  3. City – municipal professionals are typically limited to providing details on ordinances and some basic recommendations regarding tree care, although policies vary by city. They often have in depth knowledge of local tree species and pests they can share, but don’t visit private property unless responding to official business (such as ordinance issues). They can also help with locating tree giveaways or discussing any incentive programs that the city may have.
  4. Consulting – typically works for a private company and provides recommendations regarding tree care, pruning, or safety inspections. Unless you have a general question that city or state foresters may be able to help with, this is likely the person you will end up calling out to take a look. They usually charge for their service. You are requesting an unbiased, professional opinion. Their consulting fee may be waived or added into the price of any other work being performed. You should ask about their pricing up front.
  5. Tree care – performs or oversees tree work such as pruning, removal, or pest control. This may be the same consulting arborist as before or it may be someone else. The workers on the ground do not necessarily need to be certified but they should be properly trained and it is recommended that they at least be supervised by a certified arborist. This is where researching the company is essential as you can’t click “undo” when it comes to trees. Hiring reputable companies that put in the time to acquire and maintain credentials helps protect your trees from inproper care.

Certified arborist performing chemical trunk injection

Monitoring and Inventorying Trees

Monitoring and Inventorying Trees

By Jeremy Priest

New guidelines from the US Forest Service mark a distinct shift from inventorying to monitoring individual trees. This distinction has many advantages such as more accurate tracking of individual tree growth rates. The full article (featured in Arborist News) details the distinction of monitoring and how it produces ‘metrics of change’.

Some North Texas cities already practice monitoring and have software to take full advantage of the data. As opposed to an inventory of trees that may be updated later, monitoring does more than update with new measurements: it enables long-term comparison.

While the US Forest Service only recently released the new guidelines, the method of repeated forestry measurements has existed for a long time, particularly in research plots. Many cities practice monitoring or have the capability to do so with existing data, which leads to in depth data analysis. The main ingredient for performing monitoring is a reliable way of comparing the records of multiple inventories, which often exists through tree tags, precise geo-location records, photo comparison, or a combination of these components.

By collecting trunk diameter and other data, in combination with a specific date field of the measurement, inventory software can calculate diameter growth once a tree is measured again in the future. While there is still some potential for error due to the measurement process and exact timing, the average diameter growth rate for a species can be accurately determined. Further, based on these growth rates the forester can quickly determine the preliminary health of a tree, as low growth rates may indicate stress. Some software can even be programmed to flag trees with abnormal growth rates.

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The box plot on the right shows mean (X) and quartiles from trunk growth data on city owned trees in Arlington. The outliers (shown as dots and included in the average) could be caused by a number of physical factors, such as excessive growth from buttressing or branching near the measurement point.

Annual growth rate of inventoried city trees in Arlington, TX. The box plot represents the median and quartile, with mean shown as an X. Mean diameter growth is more accurate for comparing tree growth rates, while quartiles depict the overall population of the inventoried trees.

Some aspects of urban trees are rarely recorded, even if they are ‘monitored’ for change, so incorporating those as new fields in the inventory software could help foresters better track and understand the health of individual urban trees. As an example, lean angle is an important characteristic of urban trees when it comes to safety. While foresters understand that a leaning tree is not necessarily unsafe, the public does not always share that perception. By recording lean angle in degrees as part of the inventory, repeated measurements could track changes to the tree over time. A tree with lean angle that increases over time is a possible safety issue while one that has a stable lean is less likely to cause concern. Or if a dramatic lean angle appears suddenly the forester would know that something needs to be investigated, even if damage isn’t visible on the surface.

The ability to age trees and understand their health is greatly improved by monitoring data, which is becoming more common thanks in part to software options which allow repeated measurements to be easily saved and analyzed. Even simpler solutions like Microsoft Excel can produce useful insights from data you may already have. All you need is to be able to repeat your measurements!

How To Protect Trees From Insects and Pests In Texas

How To Protect Trees From Insects and Pests In Texas

How To Protect Trees From Insects and Pests In Texas

We take pride in the fact that everything’s bigger in Texas, except when it comes to the insects that destroy our trees and urban forests. With a little effort, you can protect your trees from insects and pests.

The Texas A&M Forest Service reports the culprits behind two out of every three trees killed in Texas are insects and diseases. The first step to solving the pest problem is to identify what’s bugging your trees.

Meet the Culprits

The abundant vegetation of North Texas also means abundant pests. You can take proactive measures to protect your lawn and yard from both winter and summer pests. But the insects that attack your trees are often tougher to spot. Here are the most troublesome pests.

They look like teeny-tiny spiders, with eight legs. If you notice the color of your leaves fading and curling, or what looks like a fine web, you’ll want to take a closer look. If you detect spider mites, a regular pesticide won’t work. Make sure the packaging says “miticide,” or get a mite-killing soap and hose the affected trees down with a strong spray.

Bagworms like evergreen trees, so your juniper, cedar, and other trees of this type are vulnerable. The pest gets its name from the bags produced by the caterpillars, which they carry around from the time they hatch until they begin their pupal stage. The easiest way to get rid of them is to pick the bags off your trees by hand. You can also give them a good strong spray-down. Do NOT leave the bags laying around on the ground.

This non-native pest has only made its mark within the last couple of decades. Crape myrtle bark scale looks like white or gray waxy deposits and sooty mold on the trunks and large twigs of crape myrtles and likes to get under the bark to feed — where it’s also harder to treat.

Certain systemic insecticides help. Natural predators, like ladybugs, are also an effective way to get this pest under control.

There are multiple species of lace bug, and each one generally prefers a certain type of vegetation. You might find one species in your oak trees and another in your lantana. They like to suck on the underside of leaves, leaving behind brown or yellow spots. If an infestation is bad enough, it can kill the tree. Systemic insecticides are a good control, although slower than contact insecticides. Should you spray down your plants and trees with insecticides, make sure you are coating the underside of the leaves to get these pests.

The EAB has been on the move in the United States since it was discovered in Michigan in 2002. Now, it’s been spotted in Tarrant County, and that leaves ash trees in Texas vulnerable to the insect. First — if you think your trees are affected by the emerald ash borer, call the Forest Services EAB hotline at 866-322-4512.

If you chop down an infected tree, don’t move the wood. While it’s easy to burn, lots of tree pests hop from firewood to healthy trees.

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Insecticides applied at the right time can protect your ash trees from the EAB. Keep in mind, it can take weeks for some systemic pesticides to come into contact with the larvae of insects, depending on what stage you’re attempting to treat.

Solutions

In some cases, you won’t completely rid your trees of pests, but treating them will help. And in other cases, you may elect to get rid of diseased or damaged trees. Talk to an arborist if you are unsure.

Integrated Pest Management

Chemical insecticides work very well but they shouldn’t always be the first line of defense. Integrated pest management is a system of controlling insects using cultural controls and biological agents, like lady bugs or certain bacteria, to attack the invaders before you reach for the poisons. The emphasis is on creating strong and healthy trees and landscapes that are better able to fight off attacks on their own. It’s not just better for the trees themselves, but better for the ecosystem in which we all live.

Outsource It

Most tree owners don’t have either the know-how or the time to properly treat trees suffering under an insect attack. Instead of letting your trees languish, this is the time to call in the pros. Think of it like going to the doctor when you think you have strep throat.

The Cross Timbers Urban Forestry Council strongly recommends using an ISA certified arborist as improper treatment could harm the tree, wildlife, or even people. To find or verify the credentials of an arborist, visit www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist. Common problems with inexperienced applicators include bark splitting, poor uptake (and therefore limited effectiveness), and applications beyond the recommended rates. Remember, the chemical label is federal law and must be followed

Be Proactive

Better yet, regularly care for your trees to prevent stress and susceptibility to damaging pests. Things like lightly watering trees during drought, pruning at the correct time of year, and selecting the right tree for the right place will all help keep your tree healthy and reduce risk. You can also have an arborist inspect your trees to proactively fight insect and disease problems.

Protection is the first line of defense when it comes to fending off insects and pests from your trees. But if something seems wrong, or off — like sooty mold or brown spots in leaves — you’ll want to spring into action sooner, rather than later. Your trees will thank you.

Editor’s note: The Cross Timbers Urban Forestry Council does not endorse any company or product. This article is published with permission and was provided courtesy of LawnStarter.

Economic Contributions of Urban Forests in Texas

Economic Contributions of Urban Forests in Texas

The value of traditional forest products has long been recognized to be of economic importance. Texas A&M Forest Service (TFS) has a history of tracking timber price data, dating all the way back to 1984. Additionally, TFS economic contributions studies of the Texas forest sector have been conducted regularly since 1999. The most recent analysis determined the Texas forest sector directly contributed $18.9 billion of industry output to the Texas economy. While the importance of traditional forestry is well-documented, Texas policy makers, stakeholder groups and related industries lack quantitative information about the economic contribution and activity associated with urban forestry.
As the state forestry agency, TFS provides statewide leadership to assure the state’s trees, forests and related natural resources are protected and sustained for the benefit of all. Urban and community forests are a critical component of Texas’ natural resources. They provide substantial benefits to society from environmental, social, and economic perspectives. This study was undertaken to assess and quantify the economic contribution of this sector by utilizing two major data sources:
1) annual tree care expenditures by counties, cities, higher education campuses, and households from direct surveys; and
2) sales of ornamental trees and arboricultural services reported in the 2017 IMPLAN database and adjusted to 2019 dollars.

Every little part of the tree has been touted as the “cute-n-tiny.com generico levitra on line”. Exercises like aerobics or resistance cialis generic pharmacy workouts improve blood flow and only this ingredient can help in getting erection while sexual intercourse. The medication could cause health complications for people suffering from recurring chest pain, high or low blood pressure, or diabetes then it would be better if you report to your uk levitra family physician prior to starting this medication. He showed the Budget box to the press. cialis tadalafil tablets The results of this analysis indicated that urban forests directly contributed $2.4 billion of industry output to the Texas economy and employed over 43,470 people with a payroll of $1.4 billion. Including direct, indirect, and induced effects, Texas urban forests had a total economic contribution of $4.7 billion in industry output and supported 57,645 jobs with $2.1 billion in labor income. This information can help support and sustain urban forests in the future.

Click here to view the full report

Myrtlecide She Wrote

Myrtlecide She Wrote

By Laura Miller, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Commercial Horticulture Agent

Massive trunks on nearly 40 year old crapemyrtles.

Despite the presence of both the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Department and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension in the building, a heinous crime has occurred in broad daylight in the parking lot of the Tarrant Plaza Building.  Crape murderers, armed with pruning saws and lots of excuses, have struck yet again, rendering one of our most lovely landscape plants, the crapemyrtle, one of our most ugly landscape plants.

In these days of open carry there is not much that can be done to prevent people from walking around town with pruning saws, but there are plenty of ways to counter the excuses.  Here’s a top five list of responses:

  1. “It is too big!” You have choices here. You can choose to replace it with one of the many varieties of crapemyrtle that won’t get too big.  There are dwarf varieties like “Pokomoke” that never grow taller than 3 feet.  There are intermediate varieties like “Acoma” that grow to be 5-10 feet tall.  There is a great choice for every sunny spot.  Crapemyrtle are so tough and drought tolerant because they have fabulous fibrous root systems. Those root systems also make them one of the easiest landscape plants to transplant.  You can move your crapemyrtle to a bigger, better location.  You can also cut your crapemyrtle all the way down to the ground.  It will grow back and all the evidence of poor landscape practices will be gone.  It will be kind of like having an ugly tattoo of your x-significant other removed.
  2. “It will bloom better!” This is just not true. It will bloom later, one to two months later depending upon the variety.  The flower panicles produced by topped trees may be larger, but  there will be significantly fewer of them.  You will have more flowers and have them sooner if you put away the pruners.
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  4. “But it looks scraggly, and by golly this year it is black!” Scraggliness is generally caused by suckers, or shoots that come up from the roots. Feel free to clip those off.  Now is a good time.  The most attractive crapemyrtles have 1-7 main trunks.  Those are trunks.  Trunks should not be cut.  The black stuff is sooty mold.  It is there because the crapemyrtle was infested with Crapemyrtle Bark Scale.  If you want to, you can wash that sooty mold off with soapy water and a scrub brush.  You can also just wait for the bark to exfoliate because it eventually will.
  5. “There is nothing else to do this time of year!” Sure there is. You can prune out shoots coming from the base of plant as described in #3.  Better yet, apply mulch.  Mulch moderates soil temperatures, retains soil moisture, controls weeds, and gives gardeners and landscapers alike a worthy, beneficial way to occupy their time on chilly winter days.
  6. “Everybody does it!” Would this work with your mother? Who is everybody?  Certainly not anybody who is somebody in horticulture.  Neil Sperry rants against this practice on his Facebook page.  Self-respecting botanic gardens prohibit this pracitice on their grounds.  If everybody celebrated crapemyrtle topping season by jumping off a cliff, would you?

To experience the full beauty of a crapemyrtle you should never top the tree. Allow it to grow as a medium size tree and give it time to develop a nice rounded canopy.

For further reading, appropriate practices for pruning crapemyrtles are summarized here.