Home
Site Map

Annuals
Perennials
Shrubs
Trees
Bulbs
Pottery
Summer Gardening
Fall Gardening
Winter Gardening
Spring Gardening
Gardening Tips
Blooming Houseplants
Helpful Links

Crape Myrtle
Lagerstroemia indica

Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) provides abundant summer color with a minimum of maintenance. Crape myrtle is long-lived, withstands droughts after becoming established, and is relatively free of disease and insect difficulties. Colors range from red and pink to lavender and white. If you are planting more than one crape myrtle in a grouping, It is usually best to use only one color in each cluster.

Crape myrtle can be used effectively with other summer flowering shrubs, such as althea (Rose of Sharon), if you harmonize colors. Over the years, a number of new crape myrtle cultivars have been developed. Plant heights range from less than 3 feet to more than 20 feet, making it one of the most versatile plants. Some cultivars can be used as small foundation shrubs while others as specimen trees.

Many of the newer cultivars also have improved flower color than the older varieties. Crape myrtle will grow under adverse soil conditions. However, it grows and flowers much better in well-prepared soil. For strong growth and abundant flowering, plant crape myrtle in full sun. Heavy shade will reduce growth and flowering and will increase disease problems such as sooty mold on the foliage and powdery mildew on the flower buds and young growth.

Crape myrtle flowers on new growth of the season. So, you can prune plants any time during the late winter or early spring before growth begins without loss of flower buds. Avoid pruning in early fall before the first frost, because pruning forces new growth and keeps the plant from going dormant. The type and amount of pruning that should be done each year is up to each individuals taste and is based on the desired shape and size you want. On large old crape myrtles, heavy pruning may not be advisable, since the tree form is the desirable feature.

Crape myrtles in tree form make wonderful accent plants or specimen trees. Many cultivars develop attractive trunks with exfoliating bark that add interest to the winter garden. If you want a tree, cut out all except one to five branches at ground level. Remove all side branches up to the level where you want the limbs to start. If you want a bush effect, just leave all of the branches intact.

Dogwood
Japanese Red Maple
Trees