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(eg. spring planting, landscape design)

 

Prized primarily for their showy clusters of ruffled blooms, the flowers of the crape myrtle are available in several colors…white, pinks, reds and lavender.  In addition to the lovely blooms, these deciduous plants produce vividly colored foliage in the fall.  Classified as a large shrub or a small tree, many crape myrtles also have a multi-trunk structure and exfoliating bark which adds texture and interest to the winter landscape.

 

Plant crape myrtles in an area that receives full sun and has good water drainage.  If rain is scarce, water the plants in moderate amounts throughout the growing season.  Periodically, apply a fertilizer formulated for shrubs and trees, as directed on the package.  You can prolong the flowering period by removing spent blooms as they occur.  Depending on the variety, crape myrtles can range from 5 to 30 feet in height.

 

Crape myrtles produce their flowers on the current year's growth and pruning initiates new growth.  In years past, we would chop away at our crape myrtles annually, removing up to one-half of the existing plant.  We justified this drastic pruning because we thought that the more wood we removed, the more new growth would develop and the more blooms the crape myrtle would produce.  Today, this method of pruning is sometimes referred to as "crape murder". Frequent, severe pruning often produces weak, spindly shoots that can't support the weight of the blooms.  It can also ruin the framework of the plant over time.  A better course of action is to prune only the dead wood, stray shoots and branches no larger than the circumference of your finger.  Experts are divided on the best time to prune crape myrtles.  We usually recommend pruning in late winter, while the plant is still dormant.   However, some experts now recommend that you prune in late summer after blooming is complete, believing that it gives the pruning wounds time to harden off before cold weather arrives.

 

While there may be some debate on how to prune these beauties, there is certainly no argument about their value in the landscape.  Planted alone or in groups, crape myrtles are a welcome addition to any sunny, southern landscape.

 

There are scores of crape myrtle cultivars.  Let's take a look at a few popular varieties. Some are old favorites and some are newer selections.

 

Dynamite crape myrtles produce true, stop sign red flower clusters. This show-stopper can reach 20 feet or more in height. It has an upright branching habit with a spread of 8 feet.  On mature trees, the bark is smooth and tan colored. The leaves emphasize the red theme. They emerge in the spring suffused with crimson, then turn to green as summer progresses.  

 

Muskogee produces long lasting clusters of rich lavender flowers.  It has one of the longest flowering periods of any Crape Myrtle, up to 120 days. Muskogee has a tall and vigorous growth habit. It can grow as much as four to five feet per year. At maturity, these trees can reach 15 to 25 feet in height with a spread of 15 to 20 feet. The leaves are glossy green in the summer and turn yellow and red in the fall.  Each summer the cinnamon colored bark exfoliates in thin strips to expose smooth, light gray colored bark.

 

Natchez has blooms of pure white that last up to 110 days. It grows rapidly…as much as 3 to 5 feet per year. It can reach 20 to 30 feet at maturity with a 20 foot spread. Leaves are a deep green. Bark is cinnamon colored and smooth which gives great winter interest. 

 

The Razzle Dazzle series are dwarf crape myrtles developed by world-renowned horticulturist and breeder Dr. Michael A. Dirr. They produce exceptional color and a compact growth habit. Mature height is 3 to 5 feet with an equal spread.   The leaves appear first as a reddish color, mature to green and turn back to a deep burgundy in the fall.  The plant remains attractive even after the leaves drop, because the branches have a nice red color. 

 

Varieties in the series include:  Ruby Dazzle (pink blooms with bronze-red foliage), Cherry Dazzle (cherry-red blooms), Snow Dazzle (white blooms), Dazzle Me Pink (pink blooms) and Raspberry Dazzle (raspberry-red blooms).

 

Tuscarora produces long lasting clusters of dark pink to coral-pink flowers.  It has a tall and vigorous growth habit. At maturity, these trees can reach15 to 25 feet in height with a spread of 10 to 20 feet. Tuscarora’s glossy green leaves turn red-orange in the fall.  It exfoliates its light brown colored bark in thin strips to expose a smooth, light gray colored bark.