GROWING GUIDE: Crape Myrtle Planting and Care
Crape Myrtles are easy to grow trees and shrubs that possess many outstanding features. Intricate and strong, Crape Myrtles have gray, tan or cinnamon-hued branches that bear glorious clouds of colorful, long-lasting blooms in late summer. In the fall, they dependably produce radiant foliage in reds, oranges and yellows. Winter reveals their exfoliating bark, which makes their naturally sculpted trunks look like living works of art. Crape Myrtles boast year-round appeal, but in the heat of the summer they show their true colors, from pink to lavender, purple and white. Summer and early fall is an excellent time to purchase them because you can see exactly what color you’re getting.
|
COMMON NAME |
BOTANNICAL NAME |
FLOWER COLOR |
FALL FOLIAGE |
HEIGHT |
DESCRIPTION |
|
Bellini Grape |
Lagerstroemia x ‘Congrabel’ |
Lavender |
Yellow |
3’-4’ |
Compact and rounded habit. Resistant to mildew. Dwarf shrub. |
|
Bellini Raspberry |
Lagerstroemia x ‘Conlagras’ |
Rose - Pink |
Yellow |
3’-4’ |
Compact and rounded habit. Resistant to mildew. Dwarf shrub. |
|
Burgundy Cotton |
Lagerstroemia x ‘Whit VI’ |
White |
Burgundy |
20’ |
Burgundy foliage, Semi-Dwarf shrub. |
|
Catawba |
Lagerstroemia x ‘Catawba’ |
Deep Purple |
Orange-Red |
10’-15’ |
High desease resistance. Large shrub. Exfoliating bark. |
|
Delta Eclipse |
Lagerstroemia x ‘Deleb’ |
Lavender-Pink |
Burgundy |
8’-12’ |
Curved burgundy foliage. Semi- Dwarf shrub. |
|
Delta Jazz |
Lagerstroemia x ‘Chocolate Mocha’ |
Brilliant Pink |
Burgundy |
8’-10’ |
Curved burgundy foliage. Semi- Dwarf shrub. |
|
Dynamite |
Lagerstroemia x ‘White II’ |
Fiery Red |
Red |
15’-20’ |
Good disease resistance. Exfoliating bark. Great choice for specimen plant. |
|
Hopi |
Lagerstroemia x ‘Hopi’ |
Pink |
Yellow-Red |
8’-10’ |
Exfoliating bark. Semi-Dwarf shrub. |
|
Mardi Gras |
Lagerstroemia x ‘Mardi Gras’ |
Pink-Purple |
Yellow, Orange & Red |
2’-3’ |
Miniature variety. Excellent for containers. |
|
Muskogee |
Lagerstroemia x ‘Muskogee’ |
Light Lavender- Pink |
Red-Orange |
25’ |
Exfoliating bark and good mildew resistance. Great choice for specimen plant. |
|
COMMON NAME |
BOTANNICAL NAME |
FLOWER COLOR |
FALL FOLIAGE |
HEIGHT |
DESCRIPTION |
|
Natchez |
Lagerstroemia x ‘Natchez’ |
White |
Orange-Red |
30’ |
Cinnamon brown exfoliating bark. Good specimen plant. |
|
Pink Velour |
Lagerstroemia x ‘Whit III’ |
Fuchsia-Pink |
Red |
10’-15’ |
Small tree or Semi-Dwarf shrub. Disease resistant. |
|
Plum Magic |
Lagerstroemia x ‘Plum Magic’ |
Fuchsia-Pink |
Yellow |
6’-8’ |
Purple plum maturing to dark green foliage. Semi-Dwarf shrub. |
|
Purple Magic |
Lagerstroemia x ‘Purple Magic’ |
Dark Purple |
Yellow |
5’-8’ |
Reddish new growth maturing to glossy green. Semi-Dwarf shrub. |
|
Ruffled Red magic |
Lagerstroemia x ‘Piilag - VI’ |
Brilliant Red |
Orange-Red |
12’ |
Reddish new growth maturing to dark green. Semi- Dwarf shrub. |
|
Rhapsody in Pink |
Lagerstroemia x ‘Whit VIII’ |
Soft Pink |
Yellow, Orange, Red |
10’-15’ |
Semi-Dwarf shrub. Disease resistant and exfoliating bark. |
|
Sioux |
Lagerstroemia x ‘Sioux’ |
Deep Pink |
Maroon |
10’-15’ |
Exfoliating bark and disease resistant. Semi- Dwarf shrub. |
|
Siren Red |
Lagerstroemia x ‘Whit VII’ |
Oxblood Red |
Yellow, Orange, Red |
6’-12’ |
Exfoliating bark and disease resistant. Semi- Dwarf shrub. |
|
Tonto |
Lagerstroemia x ‘Tonto’ |
Fuchsia Pink-Red |
Maroon |
5’-10’ |
Semi-Dwarf shrub. Exfoliating bark. |
|
Twilight Magic |
Lagerstroemia x ‘Piilag - VIII’ |
Coral-Pink |
Burgundy |
16’ |
Deep plum foliage. Semi-Dwarf shrub. |
|
Tuscarora |
Lagerstroemia x ‘Tuscarora’ |
Pink-Red |
Orange |
22’ |
Exfoliating bark and disease resistant. Great choice for specimen plant. |
Planting & Care
Crape Myrtles like the heat and do best in a spot that gets full day or afternoon sun exposure. Dig a hole that is twice the width of the rootball and mix in a good organic compost and transplant fertilizer. Once your Crape Myrtle is planted, make sure to it
gets adequate water for the first year. However, once well-established, Crape Myrtles are drought tolerant. Crape Myrtles are one of the last plants to come out of dormancy in the
spring. They do not “wake up” until June in the Northwest, so if you don’t see signs of life in early spring, don’t panic.
Pruning
Crape Myrtles grow rapidly and can put on up to 2 to 4 feet of new growth in a year. Crape Myrtles bloom on new wood and require a spring pruning in February or march when they are dormant. You can lightly prune your Crape Myrtle in October to remove spent flowers and prune as hard as you want in early spring to maintain size.