Home Gardening

Crepe myrtles are home in Southern gardens
Mississippi Gardens Newspaper and Web Column - August 11, 2003

When was the last time you saw a dead crape myrtle? It's amazing, isn't it? As much as I travel and talk to gardeners, it's extremely seldom that I find a crape myrtle expired from natural causes. Sometimes they get attacked by insects and sometimes by diseases but they typically snap back with a little time and assistance from their owner. When we consider the durability and outstanding beauty of the crape myrtle we will have discovered the reason why some gardeners and horticulturists consider it to be the flower of the South.

The crape myrtle is of course, no stranger to Southern gardens. Most people who are the least bit familiar with landscape plants will recognize and accurately identify a crape myrtle. That's because they are so attractive and so very widely used in residential, urban and rural landscapes. Very few trees compare with the flower color and quality of the crape myrtle at a time of year when it's blazing hot in the South. That's not all. The crape myrtle stems are also attractively adorned with a unique exfoliating bark displaying patches of gray, white and cinnamon brown.

Crape myrtle grows in a wide range of soil types but prefers a well- drained sandy loam. They will grow in heavy clay soil as long as they are elevated in a raised bed or mound to improve drainage. It is best to plant them in full sun for best performance. Some shade will be tolerated, but flowering will likely be reduced.

The list of crape myrtle cultivars to choose from is a long one. Flower colors include white, pink, lavender, red and purple. Days in flower range from 75 to 110 depending on the type selected. When choosing a crape myrtle, consider selecting one with a flower color that will be complimentary to the surrounding landscape and with a mature size that won't outgrow its location. For example, the ever popular white flowering, 'Natchez', really looks good against a dark background and has a mature height of twenty feet or more. On the other hand, the dark pink blooms of 'Sioux' are featured on plants that will reach 10 to 20 feet tall. 'Tonto' is more compact at a mature size of five to ten feet tall with purple-red flowers. These last two would really stand out against a light colored wall or fence.

Crape myrtle is very versatile and easy to grow. It can be used in formal or informal gardens, as a specimen, accent or foundation plant. Maintenance requirements are few and include moderate fertilization, occasional pest control and annual pruning. That's just about all that is necessary to keep crape myrtle looking good. For more details about crape myrtle cultivars and other helpful information, get a copy of the crape myrtle publication at your local Mississippi State University Extension Service Office. Happy Gardening!

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These archived columns were written by Kerry Johnson, a hobby gardener, former weekly newspaper columnist and an Area Extension Horticulture Agent for 11 coastal counties in Mississippi.