Crape Myrtle

August 25, 2020 Oliver

Off

Share This

A plant that gains more interest every year is the Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia). They are popular in the South , where they grow like weeds but for gardeners here in the Pacific Northwest, their introduction has been a gradual one. Crape Myrtle (sometimes spelled as “Crepe Myrtle”) is an exotic beauty that boasts large, colorful blooms in late summer. In addition to the lovely blooms, they also offer great fall color and the exfoliating bark on older plants is stunning.

If you are considering adding crape myrtles to your garden, here are a few pointers that will make them a success –

Crape Myrtle ‘Catawba’ begins to bloom in my garden in early August. It is planted against the south side of the house where it gets full sun and reflected heat from the house.

Location – It is all about the location! These plants love heat and that can sometimes be a challenge in our region. Take an assessment of your garden and note where the warmest areas are. A southern exposure, preferably against a wall or the side of your house, is good. Even better is an area with concrete. This could be a stone patio area or next to the driveway. The reflected heat from the stone surface will make crape myrtles very happy.

A full sun location is also highly desirable for these plants. Plant them in a location where they can receive direct sunlight for the majority of the day.

Watering – That descriptive mantra – “drought tolerant” – almost always surfaces in conversations about crape myrtles. True, they can handle low water situations. However, in order to look their best and most importantly, give you those delicious blooms, they need water! Anyone who has had the misfortune of experiencing Southern heat knows that summers there are brutal. However, no matter how hot it gets (and it gets pretty darn hot), occasional relief occurs with thunderstorms that bring downpours. Our drastically dry summers here do not supply the moisture they need. Crape myrtles respond well to deep watering – that means not depending on a sprinkler system that probably only gives enough water to barely penetrate the surface but a bucketful or two to make sure the water seeps way down into the ground. One time per week should be enough.

Soil – Crape Myrtle isn’t too particular about soils and they actually do quite well in clay soil or average loam. Of course, adding some compost to the planting hole will be an added benefit and help the plants grow better and faster.

Pruning – Crape Myrtles bloom on new wood so you want to prune at the beginning of the season. Keep in mind that pruning is not a necessity. Generally, removing any dead, crossing or damaged branches as well as trimming back the branches only a foot or so is all that is needed. “Limbing up” a shrub to achieve a tree-like effect makes a very attractive plant. This should be done a little at a time as the plant puts on growth. After the flowers begin to appear in late summer, deadheading fading blooms will encourage more blooms as well as maintaining a tidy appearance. The flowers also make excellent cut flowers and last for several days in water.

‘Dynamite’ has striking red flowers and dark burgundy foliage. It is slow to bloom with flowers usually appearing in September in my garden.

Choose Cultivars Wisely – There is a wide array of sizes, ranging from dwarf varieties that only get 4 -5 feet to varieties like ‘Natchez’ which can reach 25 feet tall and wide. Do some research before you shop and read the labels carefully. Flower color is another option to consider. Generally, colors are in the red, purple, pink and white ranges. Foliage can also be quite different with some varieties having green leaves and others red or burgundy. Newer varieties are being introduced every year.

Be patient in the Spring – Every year, we get phone calls from distressed customers who think their crape myrtle has died over the winter because it hasn’t leafed out. They are VERY slow to leaf out and are one of the last plants to develop leaves in the spring. They need heat to begin growing and our cool springs retard their growth.

Fall color – Crape myrtles leaves turn fiery shades of orange and red in autumn. After the leaves fall, the plants offer beautiful bark during the winter months. As the trees age, the bark begins to exfoliate to reveal shiny, smooth wood in tones of red and mahogany.