Lagerstroemia
( lah - ger - STROE - mee - uh )
At-A-Glance InformationCommonly called Crape Myrtle, these deciduous or evergreen trees need full sun and moderate water to perform well. They are great for areas with hot summers, and have showy summertime flowers in a variety of colors. Fall foliage is also a sight to behold in most species, and the bark is commonly light and beautiful. There are many varieties to choose from. Use Crape Myrtle as lawn, street, or shade trees, or as specimen trees in the landscape, where their bark, form and foliage can be appreciated.
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Lagerstroemia Species and Varietals
The genus Lagerstroemia is a member of the plant family Lythraceae and includes around 50 species. The best growing zones for Crape Myrtle vary depending on the species. For more information, see the descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.
Lagerstroemia calyculata (Guava Crape Myrtle) This species has beautiful mottled, flaky bark and is native to southeast Asia and Oceania. These are commonly grown ornamental trees in parks in their native range. They are medium-sized trees which reach between 35 and 65 feet tall when mature and produce pink flowers. |
Lagerstroemia x egolfii (Hybrid Crape Myrtle)
These trees grow well in zones 7-10, 12-14, 18-21, H1 and H2, and are crosses between Lagerstroemia indica and Lagerstroemia fauriei. These selections have been bred for mildew resistance and hardiness, and can grow as shrubs or be trained to grow as smal trees.
These trees grow well in zones 7-10, 12-14, 18-21, H1 and H2, and are crosses between Lagerstroemia indica and Lagerstroemia fauriei. These selections have been bred for mildew resistance and hardiness, and can grow as shrubs or be trained to grow as smal trees.
'Acoma'
To 10 feet tall and 11 feet wide, with pendulous branches and white flowers. Dark red fall foliage. |
'Arapaho'
20 feet tall and 10 feet wide, with cranberry-red blooms and new growth, and reddish-purple fall color. |
'Hopi'
This variety reaches 8 feet by 10 feet and medium-pink blooms. Fall color is orange-red. |
'Miami'
Reaches 16-20 feet tall and 8-12 feet wide. Blooms are dark pink and fall color is orange. |
'Muskogee'
Reaches 25 feet tall and 12 feet wide, with lavender flowers and red fall color. |
'Natchez'
To 25 feet tall and 12 feet wide, with white flowers and orange-red fall foliage. |
'Pecos'
To 8 feet tall and 6 feet wide, with pink flowers and maroon fall color. |
'Tonto'
To 15-20 feet tall and just as wide, with red flowers and fall color. |
Lagerstroemia fauriei (Lagerstroemia subcostata) (Japanese Crape Myrtle, Taiwan Crepe Myrtle) This tree, best in zones 7-10, 12-14 and 18-21, is native to Japan, the Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan and southern China, and reaches 20-30 feet tall and just as wide. Its habit is upright with outward-arching branches. Leaves are light green and turn yellow in fall. Flowers are white and bark is gray and smooth, flaking away to reveal cinnamon underneath. Resistant to mildew. Not a widely grown species, but the parent of many common hybrids and a handsome species in and of itself. |
Lagerstroemia floribunda (Thai Crepe Myrtle, Kedah Bungor) These trees are native to tropical areas of Southeast Asia, and produce pink and white flowers. Leaves are green, and bark is commonly reddish-brown, but can also be lighter in color and flaking. It is the provincial tree of Saraburi Province, Thailand. |
Lagerstroemia indica (Crape Myrtle, Crepeflower)
This species can be grown as either a tree or shrub, and does well in zones 7-10, 12-14, 18-21, H1 and H2. They are native to China, and reach 25 feet tall and 12 feet wide. Leaves open tinged red, turn orange-red in fall. Flowers are crepey, and vary widely in color, depending on the varietal. They can be trained as trees, and in this form develop attractive trunk and branching structure. Bark is gray to light brown, smooth, and peels to reveal pinkish secondary bark. Even in wintertime, the structure of this tree makes it look very polished. The following varieties are commonly grown.
This species can be grown as either a tree or shrub, and does well in zones 7-10, 12-14, 18-21, H1 and H2. They are native to China, and reach 25 feet tall and 12 feet wide. Leaves open tinged red, turn orange-red in fall. Flowers are crepey, and vary widely in color, depending on the varietal. They can be trained as trees, and in this form develop attractive trunk and branching structure. Bark is gray to light brown, smooth, and peels to reveal pinkish secondary bark. Even in wintertime, the structure of this tree makes it look very polished. The following varieties are commonly grown.
'Catawba'
8-10 feet tall and just as wide. With dark purple flowers and orange-red fall color. |
'Centennial Spirit'
This variety can be a multi-stemmed large shrub or tree to 20 feet tall and just as wide. Flowers are dark red, fall color is orange-red. |
'Chica Red'
To 3-4 feet tall and wide, with rose-red flowers and yellow fall foliage. |
'Dynamite'
This variety reaches 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide, with ruffled-red flowers and orange-red fall color. |
'Glendora White'
9 feet tall and 6 feet wide as a shrub, and 25 feet tall and 20 feet wide as a tree. White flowers and red fall color. |
'Near East' ('Shell Pink')
Grows to 15-20 feet tall and wide, with soft pink flowers and orangey-red fall foliage. |
'Peppermint Lace'
Can be grown as a 6-7 foot tall and wide shrub or a 15-20 foot tall and wide tree, with white-edged pink flowers. Fall color is red. |
Petite Series
This group of varietals reach 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide, with varying flower colors and yellow fall foliage. |
'Pink Velour'
Vase-shaped shrub or small tree to 10 feet tall and wide. Flowers are neon-pink and and fall color is yellow-orange. |
'Pocomoke'
Reaches 5 feet tall and just as wide, with dark rose-pink flowers and bronze-red fall color. |
'Red Rocket'
20 feet tall and wide, with deep red flowers that bloom all summer long. Fall foliage is bronzey-red. |
'Seminole'
6-12 feet tall and just as wide, with bright pink flowers and red fall foliage. |
Lagerstroemia microcarpa Reaching more than 100 feet tall, this tree is endemic to the Western Ghats in southwestern India. Bark is smooth and white and peels off in large, papery flakes. Beautiful flowers are white, and bloom in spring and summertime. Seeds from this species are unfortunately typically non-viable. |
Lagerstroemia speciosa (Giant Crepe Myrtle, Queen's Crepe Myrtle, Banaba Plant, Pride of India, Jarul) Best in zones H1 and H2. This native of tropical areas from India through Australia reaches 80 feet tall and 30 feet wide, with large white to purple flowers that bloom in clusters up to 16 inches long. This species is deciduous, and flowers stay on the tree for many months. |
Caring for and pruning lagerstroemia Trees
These trees prefer to be planted in a spot in the garden that receives direct sun for most of the day. They will require at least 6 hours of direct sun each day for optimal leaf-out and flowering. The more sun these trees get, the more flowers they will produce. Plant in well-draining soil. These trees are adaptable to a wide variety of soil types, including sandy and clay, but if local soils are too heavy and do not drain well, the planting site should be amended with plenty of organic material and sand before installation. The ideal soil pH for Crape Myrtle trees is between 5.5 and 6.5 (slightly acidic to neutral). Apply a thick layer of mulch around the base of trees to increase soil moisture retention, suppress weed growth, and regulate soil temperatures. After planting, make sure young trees receive regular waterings to help them establish a strong, healthy root system. Mature trees should be deep watered to encourage a root system that stretches farther down into the soil. Avoid overwatering these plants, as they do not like to have wet feet, and will develop root rot issues.
These trees do not typically require fertilization; a simple application of organic compost around the base of the tree in springtime is enough to support growth and flowering for the year. If trees seem to be struggling, or if local soils are particularly poor, trees may benefit from a feeding with a slow-release, balanced fertilizer in springtime to support the season's growth. Prune these trees in late winter or early springtime before new growth has a chance to push out. Simply remove dead, damaged, diseased, or crossing branches at this time, and lightly shape if necessary. They can tolerate heavy prunings, but should really only be pruned for structure and shape. After flowers fade in late summer or fall, spent blooms can be deadheaded to encourage a second round of flowering. This will also help to keep the plant (and the ground underneath) tidy.
These trees do not typically require fertilization; a simple application of organic compost around the base of the tree in springtime is enough to support growth and flowering for the year. If trees seem to be struggling, or if local soils are particularly poor, trees may benefit from a feeding with a slow-release, balanced fertilizer in springtime to support the season's growth. Prune these trees in late winter or early springtime before new growth has a chance to push out. Simply remove dead, damaged, diseased, or crossing branches at this time, and lightly shape if necessary. They can tolerate heavy prunings, but should really only be pruned for structure and shape. After flowers fade in late summer or fall, spent blooms can be deadheaded to encourage a second round of flowering. This will also help to keep the plant (and the ground underneath) tidy.
Propagation
Crape Myrtle can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your tree or shrub, follow the instructions below:
Propagating Lagerstroemia by Cutting
Propagating Lagerstroemia by Seed
Propagating Lagerstroemia by Cutting
- Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
- In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
- Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
- Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.
Propagating Lagerstroemia by Seed
- Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
- Harvest your seeds. The seed pods on Crape Myrtle plants are pretty easy to spot, they're large and are left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will begin to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
- Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 7-14 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
- Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Problems and Pests
Crape Myrtle trees can be affected by the following pests and diseases:
- Powdery Mildew
- Cercospora Leaf Spot
- Japanese Beetles
- Aphids
- Scale Insects
- Anthracnose
- Sooty Mold
Gallery
Videos
How to grow Crape Myrtles.
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Black Diamond Crape Myrtles have beautiful dark foliage.
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All about these common landscape trees and shrubs.
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Check out these beautiful bloomers!
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How to not prune Crape Myrtle.
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These are great street and park trees.
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Resources
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Pages 396 - 397, Lagerstroemia
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