Crape myrtles (also crepe) are small uprights trees that can become as tall as 20–30 feet. However smaller varieties can add spots of color and will only grow to three or four feet.
The colors available for crape myrtles range from white to dark red and purple with many pale colors in between. Crape myrtles bloom from June through October and in cooler climates they will have bright leaves after all the blooms are gone.
Known formally and scientifically as Lagerstroemia indica, crape myrtles are trees that are native to Korea and China. Today, dozens of varieties and types, ranging from miniature shrubs, to larger shrubs and trees can be found in many places in the United States.
Crape myrtles are fascinating, beautiful trees and shrubs that provide multiple opportunities to transform landscapes into magnificent masses of long-blooming, frilly, flowers from June to October.
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There are always several important considerations for landscape planning and plantings. Landscaping plans require determination of the:
A good initial approach is to consider what areas would benefit from flowering trees and shrubs like crape myrtles which are deciduous, and provide summer shade, but are leaf-free trees throughout late fall and winter season. Azaleas flower, for example in the period of May to June, but they retain leaves throughout the year – azaleas are evergreens.
Landscaping with crape myrtle trees and bushes is easy to design and accomplish. These steps will help in design, pattern, and specific placement.
The tree should be placed far enough away from building or structures to provide, upon maturity, several feet of clearance between the mature tree and solid structures.
If shading of an area is desired, the suggested clearance distances should be maintained, otherwise, these misplaced trees will scrape or abrade a home and will require severe pruning. Therefore, the initial planting distances of all trees are critical approximations and determinations.
To assist in the proper and final tree or bush placements, note the variety of crape myrtle. Some tree varieties only grow to 3 to 9 feet (approx. 1 to 3 meters). Large tree varieties may reach heights of 39 to 50 or more feet (13 m to 15 m). Crape myrtle bushes tend to mature and grow to 3 feet by 3 feet (about 1m by 1 m).
Because there is so much variation in the eventual size of crape myrtle, be sure to check with your nursery about the ones to be purchased and how they will fit in your landscape.
Crape myrtles are tolerant of heat and some drought. Lagerstroemia indica prefers sunny, moist, well-drained locations, and blooms from June through September or October. The bark of the tree is distinctive and beautiful.
Crape Myrtles prefer full sun but can tolerate a bit of shade. Six hours of sun per day should be sufficient to keep the plant healthy. Planting in the fall to late winter will give your plant time to become established before the summer heat sets in.
Once crape myrtles are established – usually within a few weeks – they are virtually maintenance-free bushes or trees that can beautify any landscape for decades. Winter pruning promotes abundant flowering as described below.
To promote abundant flowering, Crape myrtle should be pruned only each winter in late December, January, or February.
Crape Myrtle flowers are produced in frilly clusters called panicles (loose, irregularly-branched flower clusters). These flowers are produced on the new growth stems that arise from the pruned stems.
Water the plant weekly in its first year—depending on rainfall and temperatures. As the plant matures, it will not require frequent watering but should be checked weekly and not allowed to dry out completely.
Apply a high-nitrogen fertilizer just like the type used on your lawn. Apply fertilizer at least during the growing season: once in early spring and the second about 6–8 weeks later. A third and final feeding can be made in late summer but is not essential.
Prune the crape myrtle to shape it and remove dead branches. Most experts recommend against topping off the crape myrtle. If you wanted a smaller crape myrtle, purchase one that is shorter rather than pruning one that has grown too tall.
Crape myrtle bushes are one of the most visible flowering shrub bushes in the south; thankfully they are also one of the most forgiving shrub bushes since most people commit ‘crape murder’ when attempting to prune crape myrtle bushes.
“Crape murder” is a term used to describe the pruning technique that leaves the crape myrtle bushes looking like bare sticks with stick pom-poms protruding from the stick tops.
Definitely not an aesthetically pleasing appearance, nor the correct way to prune a crape myrtle. The ‘crape murder’ style of pruning also leaves the crape myrtle bush more susceptible to pest infestation and disease.
When a severe pruning job is needed for crape myrtle bushes, the first thing you’ll need to do is identify the main stems of the flowering bush. Leave 1-3 main stems and prune away all other low growth, which will be sucker growth on the bush.
After you have removed all of the extra growth, decide on the height that you want the crape myrtle bush to be, then prune the remaining stems at that height in a formation similar to an open umbrella. The center branch of the crape myrtle should be the highest, with the side branches slightly lower in descending order on each side.
Forget about leaving the ‘stick pom-poms’ on the top of each stem when doing a severe pruning. Prune the stem off flat at the desired height. The new growth will form the canopy that is desired when warm weather rolls around.
Crape myrtle bushes require very little care, heat, and drought-tolerant, and will even forgive you when you commit ‘crape murder’ with improper pruning.
The correct way to prune crape myrtle bushes is to simply prune away last season’s growth during the winter when the bush is dormant. Prune away the long, dormant limbs that grew during the summer and remove all the seed pods. Prune away all sucker growth that sprouts from the bottom of the bushes’ trunk too.
To keep crape myrtle bushes at the desired height and in the desired shape, pruning needs to be done each year during the bushes’ dormant stage.
If a year or two of pruning is skipped, or if you purchase property that has existing overgrown crape myrtles on it, you may have to do a more severe pruning to bring the flowering shrub back to its original glory.
Crape Myrtles are perennial deciduous trees and shrubs, that grow as far north as NY, throughout the warm South, mid-continent, and in California, Oregon, and Washington.
Prevention is the first step in battling Crape Myrtle pests and diseases. Make sure the plant receives at least eight hours of full sun and that it has enough space for air to circulate and keep constant moisture off the branches and leaves. Crape Myrtles do not require a lot of fertilizer or water. So do not overdo with the care that may kill the plant with kindness.
Powdery mildew – a common problem on Crape Myrtles, it is rarely fatal to the plant. However, it can weaken it and make it more vulnerable to other diseases and pests. As the name implies this fungus leaves a white or grey powdery look on the leaves and stems. A gardener can select varieties that are resistant to powdery mildew.
Black spot – dark black splotches or spots on plant leaves. Prevention is the first line of defense. Keep the area under the plant free of leaves, remove and burn infected leaves, and do not let water sit on the leaves from overhead irrigation.
Use disease-resistant cultivars. Spray organic oils as a preventive in the spring. A combination of bicarbonate of soda plus horticultural oil can be used to manage black spots (as well as powdery mildew).
Sooty mold – black staining or powdery coating on leaves and stems. This fungus is attracted by aphids, so treating the aphids is essential. The mold can be washed off the leaves with soap and powered garden hose.
Tip blight – leaves near the stem turn brown. This is a fungus that can be treated with a water-based spray containing appropriate fungicides.
The great thing about using crape myrtle in your garden is the variety of colors and sizes available. Plants are heat tolerant and long blooming.
Leaf spot – this condition is caused by the Cercospora fungus which produces yellow spots on the upper leaf surface. Good air circulation can help prevent an attack and treatment with a systemic fungicide may be necessary.
Aphids – often seen beginning in late summer or early fall. These yellow-green insects suck the juice from leaves and create what’s called honeydew that drips from the leaves like rainfall.
These predators can be washed from the leaves with a strong stream of hose water or stopped preventively at the ground level with systemic insecticides. In a severe infection, insecticides can be sprayed directly onto the plant. However, this spray will also kill beneficial insects.
Scale – tiny insects that cause white bumps on leaves or branches of shrubs and trees. This is a relatively new problem for crape myrtles and can be deadly to the plant.
You should water a scale product into the soil around the plant and using summer-weight horticultural oil followed later in the year with dormant oil spray.
Insect pests that bother crape myrtles include aphids, Japanese beetles, and primrose flea beetles. Mealybugs, and whiteflies can also infect crape myrtles but are not generally fatal to mature trees.
Crape Myrtles are landscape treasures that provide flowers all summer and live long lives. Providing the best growing conditions and taking care of disease and pest problems early will reward gardeners for years to come.
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