Known for their wrinkled crepe paper-like flowers and love for hot weather. These Southern charmers are internationally adored.
Crape Myrtles (sometimes spelled Crepe Myrtles) are shrubs or small trees that are widely grown in warmer regions for their large, dramatic and colorful flowers which are produced all summer. Their bright colors are bold in the brightest sunlight and these rapid-growing plants will quickly bring your garden alive. They are easy to grow and some can grow up to 5 feet a year, so unlike some other plants that need patience to be seen at their best, Crape Myrtle trees will rapidly grow into substantial plants that will give your new garden a feel of maturity.
They grow best in warmer regions and have been grown in the South for centuries, where they are associated with long, hot days, mint juleps on the porch and the brightness of a southern summer. Many of the newer forms, however, are frost-hardy; so for the first time that southern color can be seen in northern gardens. Most Crapes are tolerant of many kinds of soils, drought-resistant and just ask for a sunny spot to grow in to bring their radiance to your garden. Not only are they colorful all summer long, but they have gorgeous fall color too, and often attractive bark and colorful spring leaves as well, so they bring interest to your garden all year round.
They come in a variety of sizes, from medium shrubs to small trees, so there is a variety that will satisfy your needs. As well, with pruning, they can be modified in height and also turned into small trees which are excellent lawn specimens for smaller gardens. So they will fit well into a border of shrubs or stand alone as a specimen in a lawn, beside a driveway, as part of the foundation planting around your house, or as a spectacular hedge and screen. No matter the size of our property, from a few square feet to several acres, these trees have a lot to offer the gardener who loves color without a lot of work – and isn’t that every gardener?
Lagastroemia are shrubs or small trees that have several main stems and arching upper branches, which end in big sprays of flowers. They form larger shrubs or smaller trees between 5 and 25 feet tall, depending on the variety, pruning methods and location. The bark is mottled and usually grey-pink in color; some of the newer forms, like the Natchez, have especially beautiful bark which is mottled in gray, brown and maroon shades.
The leaves are up to 4 inches long and 2 inches wide, with smooth edges and a healthy, glossy appearance. They are green in summer and turn red or yellow in fall, but some of the newer forms have attractive colored leaves in spring too, like the Dynamite Crape, which is also especially recommended for its particularly brilliant fall color.
The spectacular flowers were originally lavender-pink, but hard-working Crape breeders have produced varieties which cover the spectrum from white, bright pink, lavender, purple, deep pink to shades of brilliant red. The individual crape flowers are 1 or 2 inches across, with many petals, but they are clustered together into large heads up to 14 inches long, which form at the ends of the branches.
The weight of the flowers causes the branches to arch over, giving the plant an elegant, relaxed appearance. In warmer regions flowering can start as early as May and continue right up to frost, but they are at their best in summer, when most other flowers are finished blooming, which makes them especially valuable for keeping flowers in your garden for as many months as possible.
Most varieties grow in zones 7, 8 and 9, from Virginia throughout the South, and from Texas across to California and right up the west coast. Once established they will grow well in dry conditions as well as normal soil. In fact, if you have soil that is always wet they are not a good choice, unless you can plant in a higher area away from the water.
For many years these trees have been associated with the South and warmer regions, but in recent years a lot of work has been done to make them hardier and most varieties can now be grown in zone 6 and even into zone 5. In those areas the branches will die in the winter but they will quickly re-sprout from the ground in spring and often grow as much as 5 feet tall in a single season. Because they flower at the ends of their new shoots these plants will flower just as well as their southern neighbors but of course they will not grow as tall. So you can plant them among smaller shrubs or even perennial flowers and they will look spectacular.
As a whole, most Crapes do best in full sun and although they will grow in shade they will flower less and be more subject to disease, so if you don’t have a sunny garden and are looking for summer flower color, you might consider Hydrangeas, which are also spectacular and very shade tolerant. As for soil, all kinds of soils are fine for them, including alkaline and clay soils.
Sun: Plant in full sun. Modest access to afternoon partial shade works for many species.
Water: Water immediately after planting and once per week for the first year (every 5-7 days). Most plants will find weekly rainfall sufficient.
When to Plant: Plant in early spring or late fall.
It is important when planting both the tree and shrub version not to plant any deeper than the containers they are in and not to cover the roots with a lot of soil. So dig a hole two or three times wider than the pot, but no deeper. Place your crape in the hole, replace most of the soil and firm it down well.
Then water thoroughly. When the water has drained away replace the rest of the soil, being careful not to cover the roots of the Crape with any extra soil. For the first season be sure to water well once a week so that the roots can spread out, but after that your plants will only need water during very extended dry periods. During summer try not to spray the foliage of your Crape Myrtles with water, which only encourages disease.
Mulch and fertilizer provide assistance to plant development. Fertilizers can help compensate for poor soil. Mulch does this as well, while also increasing the water retention and air passage to the plant’s root systems.
Fertilizer is generally unnecessary with Crape Myrtles. If fertilizers are needed in the planting region, either due to high acidity or baseness of the soil or poor macro-/micro-nutrient numbers, use a balanced, slow-release fertilizer. These are usually marked with a set of numbers (10-10-10, 20-20-20, etc.). This refers to the balance of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Mulch is beneficial when planting Crape Myrtles. A thin 2-inch layer covering a three-foot radius around the tree will help retain water. Mulch also assists with water conservation, essentially ending excess water run-off.
Most Crape Myrtle Trees are drought-tolerant. This is essential for trees that enjoy full sun in dry, hot locations. Crape Myrtles do require water to present their stunning blooms. If water in the region is scarce, either for short or extensive periods of time, provide irrigation services to the plant. Water the trees once per week if rainfall is less than an inch. The best way to maintain proper watering levels is to observe the tree. If the leaves are withered or crispy, often a single heavy watering can be beneficial.
The common crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) was first brought to Charleston, South Carolina around 1790 from its natural home in China and Korea. It thrived in the warm climate there and has long been a symbol of summer in the South, with its vivid blooms. From those original plants many forms have been bred, often by crossing this plant with the Japanese Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia fauriei).
The original Lagastroemia were white or lavender but many breeders have worked hard to introduce wonderful new colors. Dr Carl Whitcomb, a famous professor and plant breeder, stand out among these breeders. He is responsible for a whole new generation of varieties that have eclipsed the older varieties. Many of his plants have exploded onto the gardening scene and are considered among the best and most popular Crapes available. The Dynamite, with its rapid growth and fantastic red flowers is a special favorite, as too is his gorgeous Pink Velour.
There are many different Crape Myrtle species, though those most popular and easy-to-grow in the United States are listed below. Many of the species are native to other regions of the world, such as India, southeast Asia, northern Australia, and Europe. With varieties ranging from a few inches to tall to over 100 feet tall, a Crepe Myrtle exists to suit the needs of many landscaping adventures.
These Crape Myrtles are popular for a variety of reasons. Pink Velour Crapes are drought-resistant with deep pink blossoms. These trees can be planted either individually, as accent ornamentals, or in rows 4-5 feet apart as privacy screens.
Tuscarora Crepe Myrtles are limited to zones 7 through 9, though their coral-colored blooms are often envied elsewhere. Adaptable to poor soil and limited water, Tuscaroras do best when planted with full sun. This variety is also fast-growing, reaching between 3 and 5 feet of new growth each growing season.
Red Rocket Crepes grow well through a larger region of the United States than many other varieties: zones 6 through 9. The vivacious red blooms are the fastest-growing Crepe Myrtle, often growing more than 5 feet a year. The mature height of the Red Rocket Crepe Myrtle is between 20 and 30 feet tall.
The sublime Natchez Crepe Myrtle displays pure white blooms for long lengths of the summer, from June to September. The Natchez Crepe is also popular because of its fast-growth, which can be between 3 and 5 feet a year. The Natchez’s bark is also distinctive, offering a shimmery-brown throughout the year.
The Catawba Crape Myrtle has dark lavender colored blossoms that begin in the late spring. The cone-shaped bloom clusters weigh heavy on the branches, causing the boughs to bend toward the ground. Despite this, the Catawba Crepe Myrtle reaches a moderate height between 10 and 15 feet tall.
The Twilight Crepe Myrtle is a favorite among landscapers. Vibrant purple blooms are paired with a grayish-brown bark that peels to display a pinkish undercoat. The low-maintenance Twilight Crepe Myrtle reaches between 20 and 25 feet tall, though some landscapers choose to prune this Crepe to a smaller-sized shrub or hedge.
Because they are so hardy and drought-resistant, once you have planted your tree there is not much to do but sit back and watch the fireworks. If you want to produce a tree-form Crepe, just prune away the lower branches of the Crepe gradually until your tree is the height you want it to be.
The trees normally grow several trunks, but with a little attention a single trunk can be produced. If you wish, remove the flower heads as they die, as this will encourage even more new flowers to form. During the winter, long shoots of the Crepe can be cut back to control the height of your tree if needed, and to develop a bushier crown.
If your Crepe is in too shady a spot, has regularly wet foliage or while growing during very humid weather it may develop a disease called mildew. This is a white growth that coats the leaves. It does no harm and next year the new growth will be clean and healthy. Most of the new varieties of Lagastroemia have been developed to be more resistant to this disease so it is usually not much of a concern.
If you live in an area where this disease is very prevalent, the National Arboretum in Washington DC has a special program to develop mildew-resistant forms of trees for just those areas. The Natchez is one of their varieties and is especially recommended if mildew is a likely problem.
Crepe Myrtles are great shrubs or small trees for sunny locations in warmer areas that will bring brilliant color to the summer months and often flower right up to the first frost. With their wide range of colors and sizes they should be in every warm garden and with newer varieties being hardy even into zone 5 they will bring joy and beauty to cooler regions as well.
