Crepe Myrtle Trees Glorify Your Garden

Crepe Myrtles come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes. One of the most alluring aspects of growing this tree is its gardening versatility, but the crepe myrtle’s multitude of choices can only be surpassed by its breathtaking beauty. Whether you are choosing the crepe myrtle as the central focus of your garden, as a backdrop or as a tree that stands alone, the crepe myrtle is a majestic beauty many gardeners would never do without.

Grow Crepe Myrtle Trees

Notably, crepe myrtles are a fast growing tree that thrives and does well in the South. Gardeners have tried to grow them north of the Mason-Dixon line without much success.

With that said, Steve Bender, the Grumpy Gardener, from Southern Living magazine says he gets asked about crepe myrtles more than any other tree. When queried about crepe myrtles Bender responds, “I know all the answers and willingly share”. The self-proclaimed crepe myrtle guru maintains a blog with tips and techniques on Southern Living’s website.

How to plant a Crepe Myrtle

• Visit a reputable nursery to insure the crepe myrtle you choose is healthy and true to size and color.
• Find a spot that receives a good amount of sunshine and the crepe wants soil that is loamy and well draining.
• Be sure to dig your hole at least three times the size of the existing root ball.
• Place your tree into the hole and make sure the root system is a little lower that the level of the surrounding soil.
• Fill in around the roots, press down lightly with your foot to firm up.
• Cover the base of your crepe myrtle with a 2 inch layer of mulch and water thoroughly with a hose.

While it is well documented that crepe myrtles are a southern tree, Bender recommends that if you are planting in the upper southern or mountainous regions, choose a more cold-hearty tree. (e.g. Hopi, Lipan, Zuni, Catawba and Acoma)

Crepe Myrtle Trees Versatility

Many gardeners fill their yards and gardens with crepe myrtles, encompassing many sizes, shapes, and colors. So, when considering the perfect planting spot, take into consideration what the ultimate height of your crepe will be. Trees such as the Natchez, Dynamite, Twilight, Red Rocket and Caroline Beauty will reach heights of 20-30 feet. Pink Valour and Tonto crepe myrtles stay right around 8-10 feet and dwarfs such as Razzle Dazzle and Pokomoke make for fabulous shrubs of 3-4 feet in height.

Crepe Myrtle Care

For most crepe myrtles the best time for pruning is late winter. It is fruitful to remove all of the inside, twiggy growth and the awkward growing outer branches. Shaping the tree can be personal preference, but most growers will remove the lower growth on the tree’s trunk. Bender warns growers against what he calls “crepe murder”, described as using a saw and minimizing the tree to mere bark. Use clippers or loppers, trimming back a little at a time.

Steve Bender names the following crepe myrtle trees as his ‘Top Picks’:

1. Catawba – Upright, 15 ft. tree with deep purple blooms.
2. Osage – Open, arching tree with light pink flowers that blooms for a long time. Another fascinating feature of the Osage is its chestnut-brown bark.
3. Natchez – Bender describes this as a vase-shaped tree growing up to 30 ft tall. and says it is the longest bloomer, also with chestnut-brown bark.
4. Miami – Upright, growing to 25 ft with dark pink flowers.

Whichever crepe myrtle trees you choose to grow they are guaranteed to bring years and years of bountiful beauty and gardening pleasure.