Crapemyrtle Scientific Name: Lagerstroemia Indica Order
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.
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