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Since its introduction from China and Korea in 1747, the crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia sp.) has thrived in gardens of the southern states. The climate of the southeastern United States has proven to be very favorable to the Asian native. Crepe myrtles prefer full sun to part shade, keeping in mind that the more sun a crepe myrtle is allowed to receive, the more flowers gardeners will be rewarded. Crepes can tolerate less-than-perfect soil conditions, but well drained soils are preferred for proper root establishment.
The flower color of crepes can include most any shade of pink, red, purple, and white. Much like azaleas, crepes are probably best purchased when they bloom (summer) to be certain that the desired color, or shade of color, is purchased. The plants can be installed in the landscape in the summer during their bloom period, but a regular watering schedule should be followed to ensure establishment through the hot months. In the fall, most crepes will display vivid foliar colors of yellow, orange, and red. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the crepe myrtle is its decorative bark. Many cultivars have exfoliating bark that peels away in early summer revealing cinnamon, tan, chestnut, or mahogany colors. Three of the best cultivars for bark color are ‘Natchez’, ‘Fantasy’, and ‘Townhouse’. Cinnamon colored bark is characteristic of ‘Natchez’ and ‘Fantasy’ while shades of orange are displayed on the trunks of ‘Townhouse’. Spectacular specimens of ‘Fantasy’ and ‘Townhouse’ can be seen at the J.C. Raulston Arboretum of North Carolina State University in Raleigh.
Crepe myrtles can be classified into three groups depending upon mature height achieved by the plant. Plants can range from 3’ to 10’ in the semi-dwarf group, 10’ to 20’ in the intermediate group, and 20’+ in the tree type group. Due to this vast range of heights, the crepe myrtle can be utilized as a border shrub, in massing, and as a specimen plant. These plants can be multi-stemmed or on a single trunk. The multi-stemmed form seems to be more popular, but the beauty of a single trunk can be hard to deny when witnessed first hand.
Crepe myrtles are fairly trouble free plants. Two main problems come to mind when discussing disease and pest resistance. Powdery mildew is a fungus that can cause foliage and flowers to become unattractive during summer months. Homeowners can avoid this problem by locating their plants in an area where full sun and good air circulation is present. Some cultivars are more resistant to powdery mildew than others. Many hybrids from the U.S. National Arboretum are more resistant to mildew than some of the older cultivars. These particular cultivars can be identified by their Native American tribal names such as ‘Acoma’, ‘Hopi’, ‘Natchez’, ‘Tuskegee’, and ‘Zuni’. Many other hybrid cultivars exists and are too numerous to list.
Japanese beetles can also wreak havoc on crepe myrtles for a few weeks from early to mid summer. These beetles can devour floral tissue as well as leaves in quick fashion. Spraying with Sevin can hinder the process of the beetles. Milky Spore is another product that can help control Japanese beetle populations. Milky Spore is a beneficial bacterium that is applied to the lawn and garden areas. This bacterium kills the beetle in the larval stage of its growth cycle. Once applied, Milky Spore takes about one year to become effective, but will last fifteen years after the first application. To truly be effective, convincing neighbors to buy a bag of Milky Spore is not a bad idea. The greater the surface area covered by this product, the fewer the number of beetles will be present. A secondary benefit of Milky Spore is a healthier lawn due to the death of the beetle larva. Other pests and diseases can affect crepe myrtles, but they occur in much smaller numbers than Japanese beetle and powdery mildew.
Pruning crepe myrtles is always a hot topic of discussion. At mention of the word pruning, there are always people who roll their eyes and utter phrases such as “crepe rape” and “crepe murder”. This is due to a common misconception that crepe myrtles have to be heavily pruned back in the winter in order to bloom heavy in the summer. Heavily pruning branches back to a stem diameter of ones forearm results in a strange Dr. Seuss-looking creature with flimsy branches and hanging flower heads. There are currently two main recommendations for pruning crepe myrtles. The first is to do nothing at all. Research has shown that there is virtually no difference in the flowering ability between a crepe myrtle that is heavily pruned, and one that is not. The second method is called “pencil pruning”. This method involves using pruners to remove the tips of branches back to wood that is the diameter of a pencil. This type of pruning is done mainly for the aesthetic reason of removing old seed pods. One other “pruning” technique for crepe myrtles is to remove all basal suckers and watersprouts that occur up and down the main stem during the spring. Pinching these suckers off in the spring will prevent long term problems from developing in the branching structure.
Crepe myrtles have been a mainstay in southern gardens for years, due to their year round interest and their ability to withstand many landscape conditions. The variety of sizes, colors, and shapes in which crepe myrtles can be bought make this plant versatile to many garden themes and locations. A southern garden just seems incomplete without a crepe myrtle --- providing year round interest to all gardeners.
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