Crape Myrtle:characteristics, growing and planting conditions and the care that should be taken.
With literally hundreds of sizes and colors available, crape (or crepe) myrtles are a terrific, low-maintenance choice for prolific blooms during hot, humid summers. Some of the common names for Lagerstroemia include Crape Myrtle and Crape Myrtlette.
Crape myrtles bloom in midsummer, with colors including white, lavender, purple, pink, magenta, and red. After blooming, they develop distinctive seed heads, then the leaves tend to fall toward the end of autumn, leaving the colorful, exfoliating bark for the winter.
It is a deciduous tree and has at least five attributes that make it a must grow tree :
- Beautiful blossom
- Attractive bark
- Few diseases
- Pretty leaves
- Shrub form, too
Seasonal Conditions for Crape Myrtle
- Ensure that your Crape Myrtle is planted at least four weeks before your first frost.
- If your area is experiencing extreme heat, place your potted tree in a well-shaded area, such as a garage, or plant it in a well shaded area of your lawn.
- Once mature, your tree will be able to handle these temperatures.
- Typically, though, trees do not experience much growth during times of intense temperature.
Location Conditions for Crape Myrtles
- Flourish best in full sun.
- While the trees will grow in a shaded area, optimal fullness will not be attained, and flowering will be greatly minimized.
- Any moderate to well-drained soil is acceptable for planting (including clay, loam, or sandy soils), so long as the soil is oxygenated.
- The ideal pH level for the soil is 6.5, though levels 5.5 – 7.5 are suitable as well.
Planting Crape Myrtle
- When digging the planting hole for your Crape Myrtle, ensure that its width & depth will accommodate the present root system of the tree.
- After removing your tree from its container, use your fingers to tease out the roots and ensure moisture.
- This will encourage them to grow quickly into the soil.
- Make sure that that the roots are spread evenly and surrounded by dirt to ensure that no pockets of air are present.
- Once your tree is positioned straight & level, fill the hole back in with its original soil. Pack the loose soil firmly around the roots.
- Crape Myrtle trees should be watered 1-5 times each week, depending on the time of year the tree was planted, as well as the type of soil being utilized.
Crepe Myrtle Care
- It attract aphids sometimes and this can be detected by the accompanying sooty mould. But a few sprays with soapy water will control it.
- Crepe (sometimes spelled crape) myrtles are often pruned back to the main trunk.
Crape Myrtle Pruning
To promote a second and third flowering, the flower heads may be pruned when they are past their best. Otherwise pruning should only be done to take out dense center growth and branches that criss-cross.
