From the showy flowers to the superb bark and foliage, the Crapemyrtle is a favorite landscape plant throughout the South. Introduced in 1747, the Crapemyrtle is native to China and Korea. It is hardy from Zones 7 to 9 and can be found in the South, Southwest, and West Coast. Crapemyrtles are found as far north as Baltimore, Maryland, but they are better suited for warmer regions of the country.

The Crapemyrtle is a very adaptable plant. It grows best in moist, well-drained soils; prefers full sun, and is drought resistant. To produce large flowers and control larger growing cultivars, plants should be severely pruned before the new growth emerges in the Spring. Blooms are most abundant in soils low in nutrients, especially nitrogen, which can cause a lack of blooms. Throughout the bloom season, additional flowering can be stimulated by fertilization and the removal of faded blooms.

Crapemyrtles are a valuable landscape plant that can be used as a shrub or small tree, ranging in size from 18 inches to over 25 feet. As an asset to almost any landscape, the Crapemyrtle is a very beautiful specimen shrub or tree, often used in groups under planted with a ground cover. The dark green ground cover contrasts the gray to tan shades of the handsome bark. The smaller varieties of Crapemyrtle can be used as hedges, screens, or in masses. Planted in this manner, Crapemyrtles offer a grand display of color throughout the summer months.

Crapemyrtles are commonly multi-trunked, however, single trunk specimens are available. A canopy of foliage covers the top half of the plant, with the bottom half of the plant remaining leafless, revealing the beautiful bark. The leaves of the Crapemyrtle are a glossy medium green, turning yellow, red-orange, or red in the Fall. The smooth bark exfoliates, flaking off in irregular patches to reveal various shades of brown to gray.

One of the prominent features of the Crapemyrtle is the spectacular flowers, formed in large panicles ranging from 6 to 8 inches in length and 3 to 5 inches in width. The petals have a crinkled appearance, similar to crepe paper, hence the name Crapemyrtle. Blooming from mid-June through September, the Crapemyrtle ranges in flower color from white to various shades of pink, purple, and red.

Softwood cuttings consist of 4 to 6 inch cuttings taken from actively growing shoots at any time during the growing season. The cut ends can be dipped in a rooting hormone and then stuck in a well drained potting mix. Keep the cuttings misted to avoid drying out before roots can form. Rooted cuttings can then be planted in larger pots and grown to a larger size to improve survivability when placed in the landscape.

The Crapemyrtle can be propagated by seeds or cuttings. If by seed, germination occurs within 2 to 3 weeks. If by cutting, softwood cuttings should be taken between late May and July. Rooting should occur within 3 to 4 weeks.

Many Crapemyrtle cultivars exist, varying in sizes and colors. The Table below describes several of them. Check with your local nurseryman for cultivars that exist in your area.

Crapemyrtle must be grown in full sun for satisfactory flowering and to reduce disease problems. While it will tolerate a wide range of soil conditions once established, crapemyrtle does not thrive in a very wet location.

Container grown plants can be planted at any time of the year, however, they must be watered conscientiously, particularly if they are planted in the summer. Balled and burlapped and bare-root plants are generally better able to become established if they are planted during the dormant season. Although the canopy of a crapemyrtle may have lost its leaves in the fall, the roots typically remain active later into the fall and early winter. Crapemyrtles transplant easily so they can be moved in the landscape. Move them during the fall or late winter.

Crapemyrtles do not require much fertilizer. They are also adaptable to a fairly wide soil pH range, from 5.0 to 6.5. A soil test provides the best standard for determining the amount of fertilizer that is needed and whether the pH is at the appropriate level for your plants. However, one pound of actual nitrogen per thousand square feet of bed area is usually adequate to support new growth in an established tree. Be aware that over fertilization can reduce cold hardiness.

Heading back crapemyrtles in late winter promotes lush new growth in the spring. Flowers are produced on current season's growth so flowers develop even after such severe pruning. However, such pruning destroys the natural character of the plant, with the winter form being an unsightly stemmy mess. It also promotes sucker growth which detracts from the beauty of the trunk.

Preferred pruning practices involve limited pruning. Some thinning of branches to enhance plant form is desirable, but heavy pruning is not needed. A wide assortment of crapemyrtle cultivars offers a variety of sizes that can be tailored to the site. Some selections are shrub-like in form growing to a size of only 3 to 5 feet, while others become sizeable small trees in the 25 to 35 foot range. There is a crapemyrtle for just about every situation. In the long run crapemyrtles will flower well if they are in a sunny location and left alone.

Some of the earlier flowering cultivars can be induced to produce additional blooms later in the summer by reducing the spent flower clusters. However, there is some concern that this can reduce cold hardiness of the plant.

A few pests can be a problem for the Crapemyrtle. Diseases such as powdery mildew, black spot, sooty mold, tip blight, leaf spot, and root rot can affect the Crapemyrtle. Two insects: aphids and Florida wax scale, can also be a problem. However, with proper care management, such as planting in a sunny location with good air circulation, these pests can easily be controlled and even prevented.