by Chris Winslow
For a low-maintenance ornamental tree, you cannot beat the good
old crape myrtle. This wonderful flowering tree or shrub (depend-
ing on the variety) provides three seasons of color without a lot of
fuss or maintenance.
They bloom for months on end and come in any size you could
imagine. Once established they can hold up with our native tree
species during the most prolonged droughts: vibrant color and
water conservation rolled together into one beautiful tree.
Muskogee, for example, grows to a height of 25 to 30 feet, and
blooms for up to four months! Its blossoms are light-lavender and
have a strong resistance to powdery mildew. Its fall leaf color is red
and yellow and in winter its bark is grey and pinkish-brown.
Another outstanding crape is Natchez. This white flowering beauty
grows from 25 to 30 feet and has the second longest bloom period
of 110 days. (see photo above) Its fall leaf color is red-orange and
its winter bark color is cream- cinnamon brown. Natchez is resistant
to diseases, and is considered the benchmark that all other varieties
are compared to.
For a dwarf tree, one of the best is Victor. This dark red variety grows
to 4 to 5 feet and blooms for 85 days. For mid-size trees, those grow-
ing from 8 to 12 feet there is Siren Red, Pink Velour, Catawba (purple),
and Acoma (weeping white). For trees between 15 and 20 feet there
is Dynamite (deep red), Red Rocket (red), and Tuscarora ( coral red
to dark pink).
And for truly shade size trees, 25 feet and up, along with Muskogee,
Natchez – there’s Basham’s Party Pink.
The crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) has been in the South since
they were first introduced from Asia in 1747. Since that time, hundreds
of colors and heights have been bred.
In the mid 50s, the Japanese crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia faueri)
arrived and an extensive breeding program began. Horticulturalists
began to mix the color variations of the Asian crape myrtle with the
disease resistance of the Japanese varieties.
The Japanese crapes also had trunk color attributes and greater cold
tolerance. They could now be planted farther north.
As these amazing plants go through their amazing bloom cycle, we
should all give thanks for the bright colors they bring to our land-
scapes during the upcoming harsh summer months.
Happy gardening everyone!
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