Top 5 Crape Myrtle Tree Varieties
- Tuscarora Crape Myrtle. Maturing to a height of around 20 feet, the Tuscarora Crape Myrtle is known by its signature coral, pink blooms.
- Muskogee Crape Myrtle.
- Natchez Crape Myrtle.
- Arapaho Crape Myrtle.
- Black Diamond Crape Myrtle.
What is the darkest red crape myrtle?
The bloom color is the darkest red of the Black Diamond® collection. Crimson Red™– We have found Crimson Red™ to naturally take on a shrubbier habit. The bloom color is the brightest red in the Black Diamond® crape myrtle collection.
What is the longest blooming crape myrtle?
If you are looking for the longest bloom time look to the lavender purple Muskogee or the white Natchez. You will enjoy flowers for months! The Muskogee is also one the few Crape Myrtles that is recommended into a zone 11.
What is the best month to plant a crape myrtle?
The best time to plant crape myrtle is June to late September while soils are warm. Watering during summer hot and dry spells is also beneficial to flowering, but overall crape myrtle is very drought tolerant once established in the landscape.
What is the most beautiful crepe myrtle? – Related Questions
Where should you not plant a crape myrtle?
Don’t plant Crape Myrtles in shade.
Crape Myrtles perform their best in 6+ hours of blistering full sun per day. Even light shade at various times during the day will greatly reduce flowering, cause the tree to appear thin, and force it to reach for the sun, creating a leggy look.
Where should you not plant crepe myrtles?
Crape Myrtles can be grown all over the USA, in any soil type. The site should be in the bright, hot sun: full or partial sun (6hrs min). No heavy shade for Crape Myrtles. If the site gets sun for part of the day then it’s fine.
How long does it take a crape myrtle to establish?
According to the Arbor Day Foundation, “this shrub grows at a fast rate, with height increases of more than 24 inches per year.” Crape myrtles generally grow between 15-25 feet tall, so most trees take five to 10 years to mature.
How long does it take a crepe myrtle to get established?
Your tree is too young
Your crepe myrtle may not be blooming if it is only a young tree – it can take 3-5 years for a tree to become established enough to flower. This may sound like a long time, but bear in mind that the trees take 5-10 years to mature, and 20-50 years to reach their ultimate size.
How far should you plant a crepe myrtle?
To create a look where the canopies of the plants will grow together and provide shade, plant Medium Crape Myrtles 6′-10′ apart, and Standard (Tree) Crape Myrtles 8′-12′ apart. For a more individual plant look, plant Dwarfs 10′ apart and Standards 15′ apart.
How fast will a crepe myrtle grow?
Growth Rate
This shrub grows at a fast rate, with height increases of more than 24″ per year.
Are crepe myrtles high maintenance?
Crape myrtle is a relatively low-maintenance choice for landscaping in the appropriate region, but they do require some specific care for their showy blooms to flourish. To help your crape myrtle look its very best… Crape myrtle needs full sun (6 or more hours per day) to thrive.
Do crepe myrtles have invasive roots?
Crape myrtle do not have invasive root systems, which may be one reason they are used as sidewalk margin trees. They don’t lift the sidewalks as so many other trees do. And their beautiful fall color is another reward.
Do crepe myrtles need a lot of water?
Crape Myrtles need at least one inch of water per week, with more during especially hot and dry weather. Still, these plants are fairly drought resistant once they’ve matured. Though Crape Myrtles like a good and deep soaking, issues like poor drainage and overwatering can lead to problems.
Will coffee grounds help crepe myrtles?
Another natural additive you can use around your Crape Myrtle is coffee grounds. While many people like to place them directly in their gardens, we recommend composting them first. Crape Myrtles love the nitrogen that coffee grounds add to compost, and they need it to bloom.
Should you put mulch around crepe myrtles?
When planting crape myrtles, gardeners should install a layer of mulch about 3 to 5 inches deep in an area twice as large as the planting hole. Insect damage is a frequent problem on crape myrtles and aphids cause much of that damage.
Do crepe myrtles need to be cut back every year?
Growing Conditions
Also, crepe myrtles need minimal pruning. Some gardeners top them annually, which ruins their natural shape and beauty. Remove the sucker growth that sometimes appears around the base. Only prune to shape trees or to take out any cross branching.
Should crepe myrtles be covered in winter?
It is advisable to wrap young (1 year or less) and small Crepe Myrtle trees. Wrap burlap around the branches and then add an insulating filler such as leaves or straw to provide additional protection. Use bush jackets for dwarf plants. Bush jackets are reusable insulating covers that cover the plant.
Should you deadhead crepe myrtles?
2. Don’t deadhead them! Although deadheading is common for a few different shrubs, you’ll hurt your chances for blooms by deadheading crapes. Small branches will grow from the stubbed trunks, and they might be too weak to support blooms.
Is there a difference between crepe myrtle trees and bushes?
You can grow a crepe myrtle in two ways: bush and tree. The primary difference lies in their dimension. The bush remains below 11 feet in height, whereas the tree can reach 20 to 30 feet at maturity. Another important aspect is the number of stems or trunks.
What is the hardiest crape myrtle?
Tonto Hardy Crape Myrtle Plant. Tougher than its Southern cousin, Tonto Hardy Crape Myrtle Tree tolerates subzero temperatures. Like other crape myrtles, this deciduous shrub provides months of interest in the landscape. From midsummer to fall, its bright red flower panicles are on full display.