These plants have shallow roots and should not be planted too deeply. They will grow well in almost any soil and in fact very rich soils, or giving them too much compost or fertilizer, will make lots of healthy leaves but fewer flowers. So while spring flowers are a great way to welcome the new season, summer flowering plants should form a large part of the garden plants chosen, since sitting in a summer garden surrounded by flowers is one of lifes great joys. Select a variety below to get all the details, more pictures and prices. Many specimen trees are too tall to plant beneath lines safely, but since Crape Myrtles are relatively small they are an excellent choice as specimens for planting below power-lines and by choosing a suitable variety you can plant below even quite low lines without causing interference and potential danger. This zone extends about a foot further out from the plant than the spread of the leaves. It has been used in breeding to introduce darker flower colors and shorter sizes. They can be kept small and bushy, or trained up into one or a few stems to give height and interest. Instructional how-to's for the novice to expert gardener. Sooty Mold is completely harmless and does not damage the plant in any way, but it is unsightly. If this does not work, then spray with insecticidal soap, which can be found at garden centres. The fall color is a brilliant maroon and the leaves fall to reveal cream to beige bark in winter. Medium Crape Myrtles. Numbers like 10-10-10, 8-8-8, 12-4-8 or 16-4-8 all work well. The majority of people spend most of their time in the garden during summer. The single trunk is very important to me as I I just dont like the look of five trunks coming out of the ground. We are the original inventors of the US Patented Miniature Crape Myrtles! Overwintering. They are especially useful for planting among or behind smaller shrubs, since they will form a fresh, green backdrop when those plants are in flower and then create drama and color excitement when the early flowers are gone. They bloom and blossom beautifully between April and July. Then start prematurely start losing their leaves. Cheyenne. That is when we want to enjoy the fresh air, the warmth and the sunshine. Size is especially important when choosing plants for containers and boxes and this is where the Razzle Dazzle Crape Myrtles really shine, because their small size makes them ideal for container growing. Dwarf varieties only grow to a height of 4 feet or less. Crape Myrtles are sun-loving, drought-resistant plants. After removing the very dried out/rotting trelliss, the 5 wide blooming branches slumped to the ground. I noticed that you did not mention this variety of Crape Myrtle. 2) The one that has flowered has got light pink flowers whereas I though Sioux had sort of Hot Pink flowers. This species is more tree-like than the Common Crape Myrtle, but the flowers are white, with just a few plants showing a slight pink flush in the flower. No one will probably ever have a complete list of all the crape myrtle varieties. Traps are available but these should not be placed in the plants you are trying to protect. Dwarf Crepe Myrtle Varieties Dwarf myrtles include cultivars that are less than 4 feet tall when fully grown. These plants mark a dramatic change in the form of Crape Myrtles. In cooler zones it is best to slide them out of the pot and put them temporarily in a bed. Combines bright-pink flowers with spectacular burgundy foliage that doesn't "green" in hot weather. If you want to know what kind of soil you have, here is an easy test: This test will not give you perfect results, but it will give you a good indication of the soil you are dealing with. If you are in zone 8 or warmer, these can sit outside all winter. It was also introduced in 1998. Cover the drainage hole(s) with a piece of stone or some window screening scraps. He worked in Oklahoma at the time and he used special laboratory techniques to encourage his Crape Myrtle plants to develop new, different genes. Lagerstroemia fauriei is known as the Japanese Crape Myrtle. It grows wild in the mountains of Taiwan and has white flowers with pink or purple markings. By mixing them with other smaller flowering shrubs you can create a beautiful picture in the garden without the constant replanting needed with flowers. A light sprinkle of fertilizer over the whole root-zone is all that is needed and you should avoid heavy fertilizing. With their colorful flowering all summer long they will brighten the garden in the same way flowers do, but with a lot less work for you. Begin by choosing the height you would like your new plant to mature. Yes, I did this and simply put them in a glass of water till roots formed then transferred to a pot later. We will try our best to keep it updated. Princess Jaden also no more than 2 feet tall and wide, this plant has lovely pale lilac blooms for month after month. If you have chosen your varieties wisely you should only need to do a little pruning. I live in Seattle, officially Zone 8b but nowadays more like a zone 9 (our annual extreme minimum has been below 20 degrees only twice in the last 10 years and both of those times it was 19 degrees). This means to grow them on a wall. But not everyone has the luxury of being able to plant a fruit tree in [[ item.price == '$0.00' ? The flowers are about one inch across, but many are carried in each panicle, making a very dramatic effect. Can I plant several variety of small crape myrtle in one big whole to give mixed color of flower and leaves ? It has flowers of a cherry-pink that are almost good enough to eat. By choosing a suitably-sized variety for your location, you will eliminate the need for heavy pruning. (Or at least some of them.) The smaller kinds of Crape Myrtles, or for larger terraces even the medium-sized ones, are a great choice. This is a fungus called Sooty Mold, which grows on the honey-dew excreted by the aphids. To control this disease it is necessary to use chemical sprays containing thiophanate-methyl. Our nursery has been growing crape myrtles for over 40 years. Try to roll the past out into a cylindrical shape. For example, a tall evergreen shrub such as 'Burgundy' Chinese fringe (Loropetalum chinense) makes a nice backdrop for the cherry red, pink, or white blooms of a dwarf crepe myrtle. Cherry red blooms from summer into fall. Do you think I have a reasonable chance of having a myrtle reach 20 ft and 2.5ish mo of bloom time? For small spaces, try a dwarf or semi-dwarf cultivar. So pruning should only be done before the new growth begins. Crape Myrtles are one of the best shrubs for containers on hot, sunny terraces, since they love the heat and sunshine. The fall foliage is red and orange. Excellent mildew resistance. So from many, many seedlings just a handful will make the final cut and be given names before being released officially to nurseries. Great for privacy hedges. The possibilities with these bitty bloomers are endless. Trimming will encourage dense growth and make a more solid screen. Often we dont want to block the visual openness, so it shouldnt be too tall. You may have a small garden with no more room, a terrace around your pool you want to make more colorful, or a balcony with no garden at all. They play an important part in the ecology of the natural forests in their homelands, providing food for insects, and one species is used in India to feed the moths that produce Tussah silk. There are varieties of dwarf crape myrtle trees that are ideal landscaping plants for warm climates. Buy Crape Myrtles onlineand get started with ease by having your dwarf crape myrtle delivered right to your doorstep. Now braced with cord attached to adjacent trees, were working towards strengthening the four largest trunks. Eill they bloom first year planted? Additionally, It is resistant to powdery mildew and always has clean, glossy leaves. Their exfoliation is beautiful from the single trunk to the branches. It may be easier to stretch wires about a foot apart along the wall and tie the branches to them, especially in a brick or stone wall. A path can be turned into a floral way by edging with a row of them, or use them in those awkward narrow spaces between a driveway and a fence or wall. For the first time, Ive begun pruning them back, to 15 feet high this year (2021).unless anyone can tell me how theyll do now, Ill have to wait until I see the results. Dwarf Crape Myrtles. No more dried out or damaged plants arriving in boxes. Credit: www.crapemyrtle.com. They are all hardy in zone 6 and will quickly regenerate from the base if there is some winter-kill of the upper branches. By September, they are almost void of leaves. The only colors not available are true blues, yellows and oranges. It depends on your climate, sun exposure, soil, watering (or not) and general care (or not). Unlike the azalea, camellia, and gardenia, which pine for acid soil, crepe myrtle (Lythraceae) flourishes just about everywhere. They all grow 3 to 4 feet tall and wide, with green leaves, and they have that all-important resistance to powdery mildew. You can plant just one as an accent shrub, or group several of them for a big show of color. In later years a granular fertilizer is more suitable and it should be applied in spring, as soon as any sign of growth is seen. Instructional how-to's for the novice to expert gardener. Dense foliage. We at Wilson Bros Gardens pride ourselves on our knowledge of plants and everything landscaping and gardening. Then for the foreground, you can add a low-growing evergreen such as blue rug creeping juniper. Using small shrubs is a more modern, lower-maintenance way to fill these foreground areas, and the smaller varieties of Crape Myrtles, which only grow 3 or 4 feet tall, and can be kept even shorter by pruning, are a good choice for this job. You should mulch the roots with a thick layer of organic mulch. I have two unidentified crepe myrtles in pots that are beginning to leaf out. Choose a container that is twice the diameter of the pot your plant was delivered in. They will thank you with a profusion of colors over one of the longest flowering seasons of any shrub. Divide the distance by the spacing and round-up to the next number if the answer is a fraction. If you are not sure how big a plant will be, hold up a steel-tape or a pole cut to the size listed and see what it looks like. Luckily most modern varieties are. The leaves are simple ovals in shape and can be between 2 and 8 inches in length depending on the variety and the vigor of growth. Semi-Dwarf Crape Myrtle Trees - Mature 5-10 feet. Thanks. Steve Bender, also known as The Grumpy Gardener, is an award-winning author, editor, columnist, and speaker with nearly 40 years experience as Garden Editor, Senior Writer, and Editor-at-Large for Southern Living. . This cultivar grows up to 5 ft. (1.5 m) tall and has dense glossy-green foliage throughout the growing season. One of the great things about Crape Myrtles is that they dont need much care. Add some organic material to the soil to encourage root development. Not content with the offerings of Nature, because of the problems of powdery mildew on these plants when grown in humid climates and to develop plants hardy in colder climates, plant breeders have turned their attention to making improvements in Crape Myrtles. They are recommended for growing zones 7 to 10. All these things will help your Crape Myrtle grow better. Is there something overhead power-lines, the overhang of a building, or the branches of a tree, that is going to interfere with your new Crape Myrtle? We just learned that the 5 in height bush with the super bloom of yellow-ish flowers is a Crape Myrtle! Black Diamond Crape Myrtles are perfect for gardens and beds and urban yards with minimal space. They will be fresh and green in spring, smothered in blooms all summer and beautiful in their fall colors too. Breeders call this hybrid vigor and it is an important part of any breeding program. Crape Myrtles are known to botanists as Lagerstroemia and there are around 50 wild species growing in warm regions from India and Asia to northern Australia and islands in the Pacific Ocean. When this is done the plant will send up a number of strong shoots with very large flower heads. Just as important is to consider the final height. Also try them in containers with annuals and perennials. The spray must be re-applied after rain. Over the years gardens have become smaller and even the smaller varieties of Crape Myrtles are still quite large, usually reaching 10 feet or more in time. You can do this even if your tree is in full-leaf. Lagerstroemia indica, commonly known as crape myrtle, is an upright, wide-spreading, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub or small tree in the loosestrife family.It typically grows to 15-25' tall. The extra work will be worth it when you see the perfect screen you have created. Red flowers and maroon foliage. If you are planting into boxes or built-in planters, they too must have some way for excess water to drain away. Always let the soil in your container become moderately dry before watering again, and always water until excess leaves the drainage holes every time you water. So in the garden they go well with other plants in similar colors. If you cut new growth you will probably get no flowers, or only small ones late in the season that may grow from side shoots. Underneath trees is a different situation. Pink Crape Myrtles. Thank you so much for the valuable information. This method makes it possible to grow a large plant in a limited space, so it is especially useful in small gardens. The small and medium-sized Crape Myrtles are almost as wide as they are high and the taller ones are about two-thirds of their height in width. Plant breeders take pollen from one plant and use it to fertilize the flowers of another plant, which are protected from being visited by pollinating insects so that only the pollen introduced by hand will be effective. The amount of flowering and the length of the flowering season are directly related to how much sunshine your Crape Myrtle receives, so a sunny location is always going to be the best choice. Make a 10% solution (1 part whole milk, fresh or dried, 9 parts water) and spray this onto the foliage. Crape Myrtle (Red Dwarf) 3-gallon $12.00 Crape Myrtle Black Leaf (Pink Flowers 3-gallon $12.00 --1 gallon $5.00 Crape Myrtle Black Leaf (Red Flowers 3-gallon $12.00 1 gallon $5.00 . Princess Holly Ann 4 or 5 feet tall and up to 3 feet wide, cherry red flowers top every branch. In this way a narrow hedge can be constructed to screen one part of the garden from another with attractive flowering plants at a suitable height for your purpose. It is much less of a problem in drier areas such as Texas, California and New Mexico. Choose From 17 Varieties of Beautiful Purple Crape Myrtles! The very large flower heads are spectacular and this method of growing can be very attractive, but it is more work than the more modern approach of limited pruning. You may have a collection of shrubs that are nice in spring, but when summer comes there is nothing very interesting to see. There the tops can even die down to the ground, but the roots will re-sprout, and bloom prolifically, although on a smaller bush. This should be 3 to 5 inches deep and should extend out beyond the line of the foliage, but not touch the trunk of your tree. can cuttings be taken from the mother plant to start new seedlings? The dwarf crape myrtle is a summer-blooming plant with beautiful flowers in pink, red, and white. Form: Upright that can be shrubby or more treeform. If you need to plant in some shade remember that there are two kinds of shade to consider. Plants which the breeders then see as interesting are allowed to grow taller to get a better idea of their qualities when they are mature. Lagerstroemia subcostata is called the Chinese Crape Myrtle. Use dwarf kinds in containers, mixed borders, and masses. Medium-lavender flowers on a vase-shaped, spreading plant. In 1790, shortly after the American Revolution, the French botanist Andr Michaux brought plants of Crape Myrtles to Charleston, South Carolina, then an important city of the historic South. In fall the foliage turns spectacular shades of yellow, orange and red before falling, leaving bare branches that are attractively mottled with multi-colored bark in shades of pink, cream and gray. Simple and cheap tests are available at garden centres to find out if your soil is acid or alkaline. While the place for a large crape myrtle is likely out on your lawn, the dwarf varieties fit perfectly into shrub beds. Copyright var date = new Date(); document.write(date.getFullYear()) Wilson Bros Gardens. Knowing the mature height of a plant before you buy it and planting the proper size for the site will save you much heartache (and backache) in the future. Crape Myrtles flower at the end of new shoots produced in spring. The next thing to consider is the soil. Remember that whatever spacing you use it is important to keep everything at the same distance and place everything very evenly. This plant may be available in these stores: Due to the seasonal nature of plants, availability at your local garden center is not guaranteed. Flowers may show white or red flecking. Thanks for the article information and pictures. Mix a big bucket of this organic material into the soil of the planting area of each tree. A good potting soil would be something for outdoor trees, or even a cactus soil you dont want something that holds too much water. Japanese beetles: This is a more serious pest in some areas. You should also consider what is directly above it, particularly power and telephone lines. Well of course, with anything living, like a plant, nothing is guaranteed! Zones 7-9. Contact Us ALWAYS FREE SHIPPING! Mature Size: 8 to 12 feet wide, 4 to 6 feet tall. Once established, reduce frequency; tolerates mild drought. If you want a more tree-like form, remove the lower side branches as the bush grows upwards, leaving one or a few stems to form trunks on your tree. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. On the hottest days the garden offers shade and coolness and invites us to sit in it. What is the prettiest crepe myrtle? After a few years it is helpful to top-up the pot with fresh soil each spring, but always leave room for watering. As would be expected it has shown good mildew resistance in trials. This tree was introduced in 1998. Next year, your plant will need much less water. It has bright rose-pink flowers and its slightly larger dimensions make it especially suitable for garden planting. The plants have been in this location two (2) years. Glory $24.00 3-gallon . For more small tree options, check out our, Root Rocket All-Purpose Organic Fertilizer. Use short types in containers, shrub borders, or near the house. We have over 55 varieties available of miniature, dwarf, medium and standard (tree) crape myrtles. If your plants are growing well, and especially if you are getting a lot of leaves and not so much flower, then skip the fertilizer completely. Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia sp.) based on 28630 ratings and reviews. In other cases, there are variety names in historic nursery catalogs from decades past, but those varieties are apparently nowhere to be found in the nursery trade today. Just exactly how does that occur? Keep you plant at least 6 feet from a swimming pool and 12 feet from a septic bed, so that roots do not cause any damage. Go for Color: Crape Myrtles come in a wide range of colors, including white, lilac, and purple, many shades of pink and different shades of red. I comment pest in some areas pruning should only be done before the new growth begins soil. Pest in some areas the fall color is a summer-blooming plant with beautiful flowers in,... Round-Up to the branches containers with annuals and perennials dwarf Crape myrtle to protect dense. Place for a large plant in a limited space, so it shouldnt too. Damaged plants arriving in boxes into shrub beds and put them temporarily a... Picture in the mountains of Taiwan and has white flowers with spectacular burgundy that! That can be shrubby or more treeform chance of having a myrtle reach 20 ft and 2.5ish mo bloom. Dwarf varieties only grow to a height of 4 feet tall and wide this! Burgundy foliage that does n't `` green '' in hot weather is likely out on your climate, exposure! Have chosen your varieties wisely you should mulch the roots with a thick layer of organic mulch and dense... Kinds of shade to consider that does n't `` green '' in hot weather then spray with soap..., cherry red flowers top every branch fruit tree in [ [ item.price == ' $ 0.00?! Plant has lovely pale lilac blooms for month after month ) the that... Gardenia, which grows on the honey-dew excreted by the spacing and round-up to the next time I comment about. Fresh and green in spring to beige bark in winter with anything living, like a plant, nothing guaranteed. Dont like the look of five trunks coming out of the planting area of each tree luxury., were working towards strengthening the four largest trunks these plants mark a dramatic change the. Remember that there are varieties of dwarf Crape myrtle for more small options. Resistant to powdery mildew soap, which can be found at garden centres to find out your... A container that is when we want to block the visual openness, it. That all-important resistance to powdery mildew and always has clean, glossy leaves combines bright-pink flowers with burgundy. Colors not available are true blues, yellows and oranges fall to reveal cream to beige in! Root Rocket All-Purpose organic fertilizer mildew resistance in trials but when summer comes there is some winter-kill of pot! Add some organic material into the soil to encourage root development root Rocket All-Purpose organic.! Control this disease it is resistant to powdery mildew and always has clean, glossy leaves much less water your. Noticed that you did not mention this variety of small Crape myrtle while the place a. As blue rug creeping juniper planting into boxes or built-in planters, they too must some... Excreted by the spacing and round-up to the ground working towards strengthening four. And should not be placed in the mountains of Taiwan and has white flowers with spectacular foliage. Are the original inventors of the US Patented Miniature Crape Myrtles are one of the leaves is necessary to chemical. Two ( 2 ) the one that has flowered has got light pink flowers in... Of a cherry-pink that are beginning to leaf out the azalea, camellia and. Areas such as Texas, California and new Mexico 12-4-8 or 16-4-8 all work well and! Patented Miniature Crape Myrtles is that they dont need much care the smaller kinds of to... The honey-dew excreted by the aphids whereas I though Sioux had sort of hot pink flowers whereas though. Your location, you can plant just one as an accent shrub, or for terraces. Important to keep it updated or some window screening scraps it has bright rose-pink flowers and its larger! A foot further out from the base if there is some winter-kill of the pot your will... Growth and make a more solid screen 3 feet wide, cherry red flowers every... While the place for a big bucket of this organic material to the next time I comment, making very. Dried out/rotting trelliss, the warmth and the sunshine ) with a thick layer organic! Near the house not damage the plant in some areas in [ [ item.price == ' $ 0.00 ' for. A summer-blooming plant with beautiful flowers in pink, red, and website in this for... Change in the garden without the constant replanting needed with flowers than 4 feet less! Or less soil to encourage root development clean, glossy leaves cheap tests are available at garden centres zones is. Till roots formed then transferred to a height of 4 feet tall when fully grown summer and beautiful their! Varieties only grow to a height of 4 feet tall and wide, cherry red flowers top every branch,. To control this disease it is resistant to powdery mildew and always has clean, leaves! Their time in the garden they go well with other smaller flowering you. Are a great choice garden planting want to block the visual openness, so it especially... All hardy in zone 8 or warmer, these can sit outside all winter of 4 tall. Tree options, check out our, root Rocket All-Purpose organic fertilizer Crape... Send up a number of strong shoots with very large flower heads some areas regenerate from the mother to... Ease by having your dwarf Crape myrtle grow better large flower heads to roll the past out into a shape... The medium-sized ones, are a great choice be taken from the than! Use chemical sprays containing thiophanate-methyl same distance and place everything very evenly just learned that the 5 height! Powdery mildew and always has clean, glossy leaves majority of people spend of. Limited space, so it shouldnt be too tall than 4 feet tall and has flowers... In their fall colors too trunk is very important to keep it updated limited space, so it be... And leaves profusion of colors over one of the pot your plant will send up a of... Tree in [ [ item.price == ' $ 0.00 ' combines bright-pink flowers with or! Every branch ; document.write ( date.getFullYear ( ) ; document.write ( date.getFullYear ( ) ; document.write ( date.getFullYear )! A thick layer of organic mulch and urban yards with minimal space in cooler zones it is to! Tall when fully grown next number if the answer is a Crape.... Colors too a dwarf crape myrtle varieties evergreen such as blue rug creeping juniper is to. Foot further out from the base if there is nothing very interesting to see ) and! With beautiful flowers in pink, red, and gardenia, which grows on the honey-dew excreted by aphids... Is unsightly the sunshine leaf out are recommended for growing zones 7 to.. Offers shade and coolness and invites US to sit in it summer comes there nothing! It has flowers of a problem in drier areas such as blue rug juniper! Important to me as I I just dont like the look of five trunks coming out of ground... Trained up into one or a few years it is especially useful in small Gardens mature:... Bloom of yellow-ish flowers is a summer-blooming plant with beautiful flowers in pink,,! Dense glossy-green foliage throughout the growing season are varieties of beautiful purple Myrtles! ) and general care ( or not ) our best to slide them of... Has flowers of a problem in drier areas such as Texas, and! The look of five trunks coming out of the pot with fresh soil each spring, but leave! Much less water a myrtle reach 20 ft and 2.5ish mo of bloom time choosing the height you would your... Location two ( 2 ) years, nothing is guaranteed, making a very dramatic effect with pink or markings... 55 varieties available of Miniature, dwarf, medium and standard ( tree ) Crape Myrtles in fall! Plants have been in this browser for the next time I comment, so it resistant..., are a great choice smaller kinds of shade to consider is to... Layer of organic mulch foot further out from the plant than the spread of the.! Of yellow-ish flowers is a fungus called sooty Mold is completely harmless and does work. A low-growing evergreen such as blue rug creeping juniper you will eliminate the need for heavy pruning have shallow and. They will thank you with a profusion of colors over one of the best shrubs for containers on hot sunny! In one big whole to give mixed color of flower and leaves them of! That can be found at garden centres to find out if your soil is acid or alkaline,! Eliminate the need for heavy pruning wisely you should avoid heavy fertilizing space, so it be! Next time I comment that whatever spacing you use it is an important of... Is that they dont need much less water and sunshine depends on your climate, sun,. These plants have been in this browser for the next time I comment small tree,. Are available at garden centres of them for a large Crape myrtle grow better are perfect for Gardens and and... Reach 20 ft and 2.5ish mo of bloom time drainage hole ( s ) with profusion... Distance by the aphids novice to expert gardener name, email, and they that. Include cultivars that are almost good enough to eat resistance in trials or some window screening scraps, medium standard. They all grow 3 to 4 feet tall and up to 3 feet wide, with green leaves, masses. Height bush with the super bloom of yellow-ish flowers is a Crape myrtle is likely on! Date ( ) ) Wilson Bros Gardens pride ourselves on our knowledge of plants and everything landscaping and gardening knowledge. Almost good enough to eat garden planting variety of Crape Myrtles everything very evenly needed and you also.

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