Strawberry Dazzle Crape Myrtle

Crape Myrtles are terrific plants for zones 6 to 9 where they bring lots of colour to the summer and fall seasons. However most are tall shrubs and even small trees, so they have never been suitable for smaller gardens, container planting or situations where smaller shrubs are needed. However all that has changed with the introduction of the Razzle Dazzle® Dwarf Crape Myrtle collection. These fantastic plants combine brilliant summer color with a dwarf growing habit. This means that if you have a tiny garden you can still enjoy the beauty of Crape Myrtle all summer long. Even if you don’t have a garden and can only garden in pots, or if you are looking for container plants for your terrace or pool area, this plant is an ideal choice for pot growing and a terrific way to bring color to your planters without having to plant annual flowers every year.

The growth rate of Crape Myrtles is rapid, but of course since Strawberry Dazzle is a dwarf plant it will grow a foot or so each year, quickly reaching its maximum height and then spreading wider and growing denser as time passes.

Crape Myrtles are great plants for warmer areas and places with hot summers. They thrive in the heat and are drought tolerant too. They are easy to grow and will be happy in small soil volumes and restricted areas. They flower prolifically all summer and continue to do so right up to the first frost. Strawberry Dazzle Crape Myrtle grows just 3 to 5 feet tall and as much across, so it will fit into small gardens and it can be planted in pots and planter boxes too. It will thrive in the hottest, sunniest spot in your garden. This plant has no serious pests or diseases and is even resistant to deer. In humid areas other Crape Myrtles can develop a white mildew on the leaves which is unsightly, but the Strawberry Dazzle Crape Myrtle has been developed to be very resistant to this disease so mildew should not be seen on this plant.

The common crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) originally grew wild in China and Korea and was first brought to Charleston, South Carolina around 1790 from its natural home. Because it thrived in the warm climate there, it has long been a symbol of summer in the South, with its vivid bloom colours and long bloom period.   However it is a tall plant that will typically reach 15 to 20 feet or even more in some varieties, so it has never been suitable for small gardens. The famous horticulturist and plant breeder, Dr. Michael A. Dirr, decided to breed smaller forms of this plant because he knew what a great introduction that would be. Just a few years ago he released the Razzle Dazzle® Dwarf Crape Myrtle collection, with Strawberry Dazzle being the queen of them all. Not only are these plants small and constantly in bloom, but they are a whole zone hardier than more old-fashioned Crape Myrtles which only grow as far north as zone 7.

Strawberry Dazzle Crape Myrtle grows into a full bush between 3 and 5 feet in height and the same size across. The flowers are a powerful neon-pink color and form throughout summer and right through fall until the first frost. The glossy leaves turn yellow in late fall before dropping. Although it does not form a trunk the light-brown bark is an attractive winter feature too.

Unlike older types of Crape Myrtle, Strawberry Dazzle Crape Myrtle is hardy right into zone 6, so it can be grown as far north as New York and parts of the Great Lakes. Like other Crape Myrtles it also loves the heat and will thrive in the South, California and into Florida. It needs full sun and does well in all kinds of soil except those that are often wet, where it will not grow well. So don’t overwater or plant in a low-lying, wet part of your garden.

Strawberry Dazzle is such a special plant that only the exact plant will have the rightflower color and growth rate. It must be produced directly from trees absolutely known to be right. Our trees are grown the correct way, from branch cuttings of these special patented trees. However these take longer to produce, so avoid cheaper, seedling trees that will only be a major disappointment.

Strawberry Dazzle Crape Myrtle is a dwarf shrub so if you are planting a group or lining a walk-way, space the plants 3 feet apart. It is important when planting crepe myrtles 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 or a trench two or three times wider than the pot, but no deeper. Place your plants in the hole, replace most of the soil and firm it well down. Then water thoroughly and replace the rest of the soil, being careful not to cover the roots with any extra soil. When planting in a pot or planter box, use a regular potting soil and be sure to water every few weeks with a water-soluble plant food for flowering plants.

Choose a sunny location for your Strawberry Dazzle Crape Myrtle and water every week during the first growing season.  After that, these are drought-hardy plants and will need little water except in long periods of very hot, dry weather. In containers let the soil become almost dry before giving a thorough soaking and don’t keep the pots constantly wet.

We sell only trees that are true to the original form and we have a wide range of sizes to give you the best plant for your purpose. However we are constantly renewing our stock so that our customers get fresh, healthy plants, so supplies of this tree may be limited. To avoid disappointment order now.