Common Name: Crapemyrtle
Scientific Name: Lagerstroemia indica
Order: Myrtales
Family: Lythraceae
Description Crapemyrtle is a popular deciduous ornamental plant chosen for its thin, delicate, crinkled petals, which bloom quite largely in pinnacles and come in shades of white, purple, lilac, pink, and (true) red. The bark of this favorable woody plant has a smooth texture, and is the base of beautiful thick foliage composed of leaf blades measuring from 2-4 inches in length in opposite arrangement and pinnate venation. They are oval shaped and green during the summer and change to orange, red, and yellow in fall months. Crapemyrtle produces a small fruit, less than .5 inches, which is hard, tan/brown, and round in shape.
Growth Habit Crapemyrtles can be used as a shrub or a small tree. They can come in a variety of sizes from 18 inches to around 30 feet.
Hardiness Zone(s) Crapemyrtle can grow in the USDA zones 7 through 9. It is native to southern China, Japan, and Korea, but has been introduced mainly to the southern United States. They need plenty of heat to bloom, thus most start blooming between the middle of May and early June when the weather is consistently warm, flowering for 90-120 days.
Culture Crapemyrtles require full sun, at least 8 hours of sun a day, to grow to their best potential. They are heat tolerant, and bloom well in the summer heat, and continue into fall. As well as being heat tolerant, they are also drought resistant, growing best in moist, well-drained soil. Overwatering is often detrimental to the crapemyrtle, especially when planted in the summer. They have low fertility requirements, and over fertilization will result in less blooms and more leaf growth. The soil can be a pH’s from 5.0-6.5 due to their adaptability, and they flower best in slightly acidic soil. Crapemyrtles don’t need to be pruned often. Pruning can occur in late winter or early spring, however, avoiding excessive or early pruning is key to successful growth. Pruning in the fall encourages late-season growth and compromises their cold hardiness.
Diseases & Insects Crapemyrtles are most commonly affected by powdery mildew, caused by the fungus Erysiphe lagerstroemia. Leaf spots can occur but they require little treatment, as well as sooty mold, tip blight, leaf spot, and root rot. They have two naturally occurring pests including aphids and Japanese beetles. These pests can be controlled easily, or even prevented if planted in a sunny spot with proper air circulation.
Landscape Value Crapemyrtle has been embraced by the southern United States as a dominant landscape plant. It is valued for its heat tolerance, drought tolerance, and beautiful summer flowers, as well as its adaptability to a number of other unfavorable environmental conditions including soil conditions. Over the past few decades, their popularity has grown for its wide range of variety and sizes. These sizes have allowed for people to use them as not only ornaments to their yards, but as hedges and screens.
References Gilman, Edward F., and Dennis G. Watson. "Lagerstroemia Indica: Crapemyrtle1." EDIS New Publications RSS. University of Florida, Mar.-Apr. 2007. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.
This document was authored by Rachel Dixon, Department of Agricultural Sciences, Louisiana Tech University, April 2015.