Plant of the Month

Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)

Crape myrtle is a longtime favorite with southern gardeners. The big clusters of bloom remind us of lilacs in the North. The large trusses come in pink, red, white, and purple shades as well as bicolor. Most of the flowers are not fragrant, but a few hybrids like 'Natchez' have a pleasing light odor. Bloom period is from May to October. These large shrubs or small trees grow to 20 feet and are multiseason plants that offer showy flowers, attractive bark, red to yellow fall leaf color and an interesting growth habit. All this would be plenty for the average gardener, but South Floridians demand year-round foliage. Unfortunately, crape myrtles are semi-bare from January to April. They leaf out very late in the spring, and sometimes people think they are dead. Remember this before you dig the plants out. Think carefully where you place the crape myrtle because of its deciduous nature. Queen crape myrtle is a similar but much larger and more tropical relative. The most common flower color is purple, but a nice pink form is sometimes seen. The tree can grow to 30 feet or more, and the big leaves turn an attractive red in late fall. It is deciduous for a shorter time than the regular crape myrtle but does not flower as long. Bloom time is usually from May to September. If you are growing the regular crape myrtle, try to use the national arboretum selections from Washington, D.C. They have Indian names and are resistant to powdery mildew, a fungal disease that ruins the flowers and affects the foliage. These selections often have a longer blooming period than others on the market. Names to look for include Acoma, Biloxi, Comanche, Hopi, Lipan, Miami, Muskogee, Natchez, Osage, Sioux, Tuskegee, Yuma and Zuni.

• Origin — Southern Asia and Australia
• Foliage — Oval pointed green leaves
• Growth rate — Medium
• Nutritional requirements — Not fussy
• Soil requirements — Wide
• Salt tolerance — Low
• Drought tolerance — High
• Light requirements — High
• Propagation — Seed
• Major problems — Powdery mildew, root rot, aphids
• Environmental problems — None
  

• Newsletter Cover
• Your August Checklist
• Give Your Garden Some Style
• Your Gourmet Garden