Crape Myrtle (spelled "Crape" instead of "Crepe" Myrtle) is a favorite in the Southern United States, a true Southern belle of the ornamental plant world. It may well be the perfect plant for the South's hot, humid summers - it tolerates heat and high humidity, drought, and grows well in most soils.
Crape Myrtle Provides Three-Season Interest
In the summer, depending on the variety, this deciduous plant blooms prolifically for from 60 to 120 days, putting forth vibrant, football-size flower heads. The petals are crinkly and resemble crepe paper, hence the name (even though the spelling is different). Flowers can be white, or shades of pink, purple, or red.
When fall arrives the leaves turn rich yellow, orange or deep red.
And in winter, the peeling bark in shades of gray, brown or red reveals the polished, pink-toned inner bark to perfection.
Types of Crape Myrtle
Crape Myrtles come in all sizes, from spreading or upright tree forms (either single or multi-trunked), to medium shrubs to dwarf shrub varieties. Breeders have crossed Lagerstroemia indica with Lagerstroemia fauriei (Japanese Crape Myrtle) to create varieties more cold-hardy and mildew resistant.
Lagerstroemia varieties have been used as far north as Massachusetts, where they take on the characteristics of a herbaceous perennial and freeze to the ground in winter before re-emerging in spring.
The U.S. National Arboretum started what is known as the "Indian Tribe" group, named for Native American tribes. These plants are the most mildew-resistant Crape Myrtles. The Southern Living Garden Book lists several, including
- 'Natchez' - maybe the best of the tree-form Crape Myrtles, Natchez Crape Myrtle grows to 30' (height and spread), sports pure white flowers, has a reddish-orange fall color, and wonderful cinnamon-brown bark. A fast growing plant.
- 'Muskogee' - small, broad tree, grows to 20'. It has a light lavender flower, red fall color, and tan and brown bark. This is a cold hardy tree.
- 'Sioux' - small tree or large shrub, growing 15' to 20'. Bright pink, fragrant flowers, red leaves in fall, and a light, gray-brown bark.
Other Indian Tribe Crape Myrtles are 'Acoma', 'Biloxi', 'Comanche', 'Hopi', 'Lipan', 'Miami', 'Osage', 'Tuskegee', 'Yuma', and 'Zuni'.
Dwarf Crape Myrtles
Felder Rushing, in his book Tough Plants for Southern Gardens, mentions several varieties of dwarf Crape Myrtle, these with Southern names like 'Lafayette', 'Mardi Gras', 'Baton Rouge', 'New Orleans', and 'Delta Blush'. But gardeners should use the botanical name, where possible, when ordering plants - common names may be different from region to region. Gardeners should "...feel lucky if they find them properly named," Rushing says.
How to Use Crape Myrtles
Use tree form Crape Myrtles as stand-alone accents in the front yard, to soften the corners of a house, or as small patio trees for shade and aesthetics. Don't use them near a pool - those crepe-like flower petals will easily clog pool filters.
Tree-form Crape Myrtles also look good in odd-numbered groupings of three or five plants.
Shrub and dwarf Crape Myrtles work well as in a mixed border paired with perennials like Daylilies and Black Eyed Susans. Dwarf plants of 18" to 2' high can even work as container plants.
Planting and Care of Crape Myrtles
Lagerstroemia loves full sun or partial shade, but flowers best in full sun. To ensure the correct flower color, choose Crape Myrtle varieties in the summer, when the plant is in bloom.
Plant Crape Myrtles in the fall. Dig the hole three times the width of the root ball, with the top of the root ball positioned just a little higher than the lip of the hole. Back fill with the dirt from the hole, and water thoroughly. Water once a week through the first summer.
Fertilize in April, using one tablespoon of 10-10-10 per foot of height.
Pruning is not necessary except to trim sprouts from the trunk or base of the tree, remove dead or crossing limbs, or to thin out clutter. There's no need to commit "Crape Murder" (cut back limbs drastically, sometimes to the trunk).
It's okay to cut back the new season's growth by half after the plant blooms, but Crape Murder does nothing to help the tree, and destroys the plant's appearance. To encourage more blooms during the next season, remove spent seed pods.
If possible, choose a cold-hardy, mildew resistant hybrid. If powdery mildew appears, treat it with an application of triforine.
Aphids love Crape Myrtle, and and are attracted to the plant like iron filings to a magnet. As the horticultural website Floridata puts it, "Crapes are actually used around commercial nurseries to attract aphids from other plants!"
Control aphid infestations by washing the plant down with a soapy water solution.
Ornamental plants should pull their weight in the landscape. By providing long blooming summer flower interest, vibrant fall colors, and wonderfully appealing winter bark interest, Crape Myrtles become valuable contributors to the aesthetics of the residential garden.
Sources:
- Southern Living Garden Book; edited by Steve Bender; 1998 Oxmoor House, Inc.
- Georgia Gardener's Guide, by Erica Glasener and Walter Reeves; 2004 Cool Springs Press
- Tough Plants for Southern Gardens, by Felder Rushing; 2003 Cool Springs Press
- Floridata (horticultural website)
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