Crape Myrtle

Crape Myrtle(Lagerstroemia indica)
DBH: 14.61 cm measured on 2/18/2022

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lagerstroemia indica(also known ascrape myrtle,crepe myrtle,crepeflower[1]) is a species in the genusLagerstroemiain the familyLythraceae, which is native to theIndian Subcontinent(hence the nameindica), and also toSoutheast Asia,China,KoreaandJapan.Lagerstroemia indicais an often multi-stemmed,deciduoustree with a wide spreading, flat topped, rounded, or even spike shaped open habit. Planted in full sun or under canopy, the tree is a popular nesting shrub for songbirds and wrens.

In theUnited Kingdom,Lagerstroemia indicahas gained theRoyal Horticultural Society’sAward of Garden Merit.[2][3]

Thebarkis a prominent feature being smooth, pinkish-gray and mottled, shedding each year. Leaves also shed each winter, after spectacular color display, and bare branches re-leaf early in the spring; leaves are small, smooth-edged, circular or oval-shaped, and dark green changing to yellow and orange and red in autumn.

Flowers, on different trees, are white, pink, mauve, purple or carmine with crimped petals, inpaniclesup to 9 centimetres (31⁄2in).

In the United States,Lagerstroemia indicais a very popular flowering shrub/small tree in mild-winter states (USDA Zones7-10). Low maintenance needs make it a common municipal planting in parks, along sidewalks, highway medians and in parking lots. Like thesouthern magnolia, the crape myrtle has come to symbolize theAmerican Southbecause of its extensive planting and ability to thrive in hot, humid summer climates with regular precipitation.[4]It is one of only a few trees/shrubs to offer brilliant color in late summer through autumn, at a time when many flowering plants have exhausted their blooms. In arid climates, it requires supplemental watering and some shade in the very hottest areas.The plant must have hot summers in order to flower successfully, otherwise it will show weak bloom and is more vulnerable to fungal diseases.[5]

FrequentlyL. indicais root hardy to Zone 5 (-10 °F/-23 °C), meaning it will be killed back during harsh winters but regrow from the roots and flower in summer. As such Northern gardeners treat it more like a perennial than a tree or shrub. Too much watering and over-fertilizing can decrease the cold hardiness because it stimulates new growth late in the season that does not have time to harden off.[6]

Lagerstroemia indicaisfrosttolerant, prefers full sun and will grow to 6 metres (20ft) with a spread of 6 metres (20ft). The plant is not picky about soil type but does require good drainage to thrive. Once established it is also quitedroughthardy, though it benefits from the occasional deep watering during the summer months.[7]

15hybridcultivarshave been developed betweenL. indicaandL. faueriby theUS National Arboretumfor increased cold-hardiness and resistance to disease, all given the names ofNative Americantribes.[8]There are also dwarf cultivars ofindica×fauericross-breeds and regularL. indicaspecies, which grow 2–5ft (0.61–1.52m).[9]

Lagerstroemiais a common planting inSouth Atlantic Statesand is becoming an increasingly common shrub inMid-Atlanticstates all the way up through the coastal areas ofMassachusetts.[10]Lagerstroemiaalso thrives in theMediterraneanandDesertclimates of Southern California, Arizona and Nevada, and also in Australia as a street plant.[11]

In the Southern U.S. mildew and fungal diseases have traditionally posed problems forL. indica. This was a major motivation for developing theL. indica×L. fauerihybrids, which show increased resistance topowdery mildewand fungus. The fungal pathogenCercosporalythracearumcan infest the plant in summer during hot, rainy weather and cause premature leaf drop. Gardeners plant resistant hybrid varieties or use fungicide sprays to help control this.[12]

Insect problems withLagestroemia indicainclude the crape myrtle aphid,Tinocallis kahawaluokalani, which can cause yellow spots and black mold,Japanese beetles, and theflea beetle. None of these insects are fatal to the plant and other predator insects are usually enough to resolve infestations; however applications ofinsecticidal soapcan also be helpful.[13]