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Crape
Myrtle
Lagerstroemia indica and hybrids
L.
lag-er-STREAM-ee-ah
IN-dah-kah
Lythraceae
Explanation
of name:
Genus named for Swedish botanist
botanist and head of the Swedish East India company Magnus von Lagerströem (1696-1759) (BA1).
Indica indicates from tropical Asia (WAT).
Natural
range:
Asia and Australia
Recognition:
Summer-flowering deciduous shrub or small tree having simple, short-petiolate
leaves and colorful clustered 6-12 inch flowers with 6 wrinkled, fringed petals
on long stalks, the petals white or pink to purple and red. Very showy flowers
that bloom in late spring and summer. Little pruning required. Distinguished
on the Lythraceae page from the similar but larger L. speciosa.
With numerous
cultivars (and hybrids with L. fauriei), differing in sizes and
floral colors.
Cultivars include (DEH,
PlantFinder): ‘Biloxi’ (25’ pale pink), ‘Miami’ (20’ dark pink), ‘Muskogee’ (24’
lavender), ‘Natchez’ (30’ white), ‘Tuscarora’ (16’ pink), Cherokee (12’ red) and
many more.(DEH). The L. fauriei hybrids ‘Muskogee’, ‘Natchez’, and 'Tuscorora'
resist mildew. 'Natchez' is aphid-resistant.
Landscape uses:
Dramatic, colorfully flowering old-fashioned specimen shrubs or small trees.
Shapes and patterned barks are attractive. Deciduous.
Internet sources:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG266
http://hort.ufl.edu/shrubs/LAGINDO.PDF
Garden Guru article on Crepe Myrtles
by George Rogers
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Botanical |
English |
FL native |
Growth form
|
Flowering season
|
Typical dimensions
|
Suggested spacing |
Cultural conditions
|
Problems |
|
Lagerstroemia indica
(and hybrids) |
Crape Myrtle
|
Exotic |
Shrub
Small
Tree |
SP-SU
(PBCC, Internet sources as above) |
Depends on cultivar, ground covers to
shade trees, some to 30’
Height: 10’-30’
Spread: 15’-25’
(DEH) |
Depends on cultivar |
SU
WD
WI
DT
(WAT, DEH, Internet sources as
above) |
Better looking to the north of PB County
Deciduous
Fungal problems/Powdery mildew
(WAT) |
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