Meadow View Greenhouse & Garden Center

Aug 2010 ETMV

There are some things that just come with being Southern.  Whether you have lived in the South all your life or are a recent transplant, there are things that are expected of you.  You have to drink iced tea, you have to at least know someone that can make really good fried chicken, and you have to have a Crape Myrtle in your yard.  Few things bring thoughts of the beautiful old cities of the South to mind more than the sight of a Crape Myrtle covered in blooms.

There are several good reasons for the popularity of this tree/shrub, which is really a native of China.  The blooms are, of course, one reason.  But even without the blooms, the tree is handsome.  The exfoliating bark shows colors from cinnamon to gray, and the foliage turns a pretty shade of orange or red in the fall.  Even in the winter a Crape Myrtle is attractive, and a properly shaped tree will look like a living sculpture.

So how do you grow this Southern tradition?   The first thing to remember is that Crape Myrtles like sun and moist, well-drained soil.  They will tolerate some shade, but will not bloom as prolifically.  One unusual trait of the Crapes is that they prefer to be planted in the summer, because they thrive on heat.  If you are waiting until fall to plant, you may want to rethink your plans. You will, however, need to make sure it gets plenty of water because it is only drought tolerant after it is established.

The main key to happiness is knowing the mature size of your plant before you plant it.  Crape Myrtles can range in size from 24 inches to 30 feet.  A beautiful white ‘Natchez’ or a dark coral ‘Tuscarora’ can be a focal point for a large yard, but at 25-30 feet, they can overpower a small courtyard.  ‘Muskogee’ with lavender-pink flowers, will also get fairly large, at about 20 feet.  ‘Sioux’, a bright pink at 12-15 feet, is a better selection for small areas.  ‘Tonto’ is another favorite, and is a dark red/pink that gets about 8′ tall. As for the reds, ‘Red Rocket’ is my favorite. It gets to be 20 feet tall or more, so it does need some room to grow! If you have limited space, there are miniature selections that are the size of small shrubs.  Pocomoke and Chickasaw, for example, only get 2-3′ tall. These can be container grown on a deck or patio. With all the varieties to choose from, there is sure to be at least one that is perfect for your yard.

There are two types of pruning that need to be done to a Crepe Myrtle.  One is simply deadheading to remove spent blooms.  After the blooms have shed, the tree will set seed.  These seedpods can be removed with sharp clippers, and you will get a second round of blooms.  This can be repeated as long as the weather is warm.  This pruning is not mandatory, so don’t worry if yours is too large to handle.

The second round of pruning is done in late winter or early spring.  This should be done with a gentle hand so as not to commit “Crape Murder”!  People think that Crape Myrtles are supposed to be butchered just because other people do it, but that really isn’t the case. They haven’t always been available in a variety of sizes, so people cut them to make them fit. In other words, just because your neighbor does it doesn’t mean you have to. With that said, there are some things you can do. Remove sprigs that are coming up from the ground and the lower sprigs on the trunk if you want to encourage a tree form. You don’t have to keep it tree form, since by nature it is a bush, but you will cut down on disease and insects if you thin it out. You can also cut off those dead branches that are left over from last winter.