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Crapemyrtle:
A Favorite in Many Southern Gardens
Auburn, July 20---From
the showy flowers to the superb bark and foliage, crapemyrtle
is a favorite plant in many Southern gardens.
 It
also is a very adaptable plant, says Dr. Dave Williams, an Extension
horticulturist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.
"Crapemyrtle can be
used as a shrub or small tree, with selections ranging in size from
18 inches to more than 25 feet. It grows best in moist, well-drained
soils; prefers full sun; is drought resistant; and comes in a wide
variety of colors, including white and various shades of pink,
purple and red. The plant also transplants easily."
One of the most
prominent features of crapemyrtle is its spectacular flowers, formed
in large panicles which can range from 6 to 8 inches or greater in
length and 5 inches or more in width. The petals have a crinkled
appearance, similar to crepe paper, hence the name crapemyrtle. The
plant blooms from mid-June through September.
To produce large flowers
and control larger growing cultivars, plants should be pruned before
the new growth emerges in spring. Severe pruning is not necessary.
Some thinning of branches to enhance the plant form is all that is
needed. The type and amount of pruning that should be done each year
depend entirely on the plant's shape and size.
Blooms are most abundant
in soils low in nutrients, especially nitrogen. Throughout the bloom
season, additional flowering can be stimulated by fertilization and
the removal of faded blooms, Williams says.
An asset to almost any
landscape, the crapemyrtle is a beautiful specimen shrub or tree.
The smaller varieties of crapemyrtle can be used as hedges or
screens or planted in masses. Planted in this manner, crapemyrtles
offer a grand display of color throughout the summer months.
Crapemyrtles in tree form make wonderful accent plants or specimen
trees. Many cultivars develop attractive trunks with exfoliating
bark that add interest to the winter garden.
Crapemyrtle can easily
be propagated by seeds or cuttings. Seed germination occurs within 2
to 3 weeks. Softwood cuttings should be taken between late May and
July. Rooting should occur within 3 to 4 weeks.
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. With proper care management, such as
planting in a sunny location with good air circulation, these pests
can be controlled and even prevented.
Here is a partial list
of popular crapemyrtle cultivars by height:
Dwarf (3
to 5 feet)
Baton Rouge (deep red)
Bourbon Street
(watermelon red)
Chica Pink (bright
pink)
Petite Orchid (dark
orchid)
Chicasaw (pink
lavender)
Cordon Bleu (lavender)
Petite Snow (white)
5 to 10 feet
Acoma (white)
Caddo (bright pink)
Pecos (medium pink)
Tonto (red)
Velma's Royal Delight
(magenta)
Zuni (medium lavender)
10 to 20 feet
Apalachee (light
lavender)
Centennial Spirit
(dark red)
Comanche (coral pink)
Powhatan (medium
purple)
Royal Velvet (bright
pink)
Yuma (medium lavender)
20 feet or more
Biloxi (pale pink)
Carolina Beauty (dark
red)
Choctaw (bright pink)
Natchez (white)
Wichita (lavender)
Red Rocket (bright
red)
Muskogee (light
lavender)
SOURCE: Dr. Dave
Williams, Horticulturist, Alabama Cooperative Extension System (334)
844-3032
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