Spring/Summer 2015

Trees to Consider: Crape Myrtle

 

Recently hybridized to grow in the Northeast, the Crape Myrtle can be an eye-catching and stately addition to any landscape. Their beautiful, long lasting blooms start at the end of the summer and last well into Fall.

 

Latin Name:  Lagerstroemia Indica

 

Common Name(s): Common Crepe Myrtle, Crape Myrtle

 

Tree Type: With wide spreading branches that makes for a beautiful crown and multiple trunks, the Crape Myrtle is especially beautiful when the flowers bloom.

 

Sun and Water Requirements: Full sun and occasional watering once the plant is established.

 

Expected Growth: Variable, but a range of 15’ to 25’ in height is common in our region.

 

Foliage: Leaves are simple and privet-like, 1” to 3” long and 1.5” wide. New emerging leaves are yellowish green, bronze and reddish purple, turning to lustrous medium and dark green at maturity. Fall coloration ranges from yellow, orange, and red.

 

Flowers: Perfect 6-petaled, each flower is 1” to 1.5” wide. Colors vary from white, pink, purple and deep red.

 

Landscape Value: The Crape Myrtle will definitely act as the main attraction in your landscape not only during the summer with its beautiful blooms but also in the winter with its smooth, mottled cinnamon brown bark.

 

Trivia: The Crape Myrtle is native to China and Korea although it is now a dominant landscape plant throughout the United States.