How to Grow and Care for Crepe Myrtle Trees

Design and InstallationGarden Caregarden TriviaPlant Health CareUncategorized
Written By Peter Morris

Crepe myrtle -  another one of my favorite plants !

Basics

 Lagerstroemia indica (formerly known as L. chinensis) is a deciduous, erect, multi-trunked, tree or shrub. It is native to the Philippines, Japan and central Himalayas – but the species epithet references its native origin in India. The common name is derived from the crepe paper-like petals. 

a showy red variety

 It requires full sun and moist, well-drained soil, though it will tolerate occasionally wet or dry soil once established. Place it in a sheltered location protected from winter winds and mulch the soil to protect the roots. 

beautiful dark purple variety !

 A rapid grower, common crape myrtle can reach 6 to 30 feet high and wide, depending upon the variety selected. If pruning is required to thin the tree or shrub, it is best done in late winter or spring before growth begins. 

it lends itself well to pollarding - and groups of crepe myrtle are commonly used as a privacy screen.

 Common crape myrtle blooms from July to September with numerous and showy flowers. The flower color of the wild-type species is rose to red, but there are cultivars offering a variety of colors. The bark exfoliates during the summer. 

fascinating and colorful bark !

 It may be used as a stand alone specimen, grown in containers, or used as a hedge. Some dwarf varieties may be grown in a container and reach 3 – 4 feet. Lagestroemia actually produces the best flowers in full sun. It seldom gets any insects or disease issues and is a fast grower.  Adapting well to most garden spots it blooms all summer long well into frost. 

its one of bees favorite flowers too !

For one of the best bee friendly plants ever -

Call Plant Specialists TODAY !

Don't delay – the sooner the better !

GREENING NEW YORK FOR OVER 52 YEARS !

  Article written by our Staff Horticulturist, Peter B Morris, BSc, MSc, MBAAll photographs used with permission from @SHUTTERSTOCK 

Peter Morris

Peter was born and raised on a beautiful green island in the midst of a tropical rainforest. He was introduced into the world of plants at the age of six when his grandmother, an avid Spanish gardener herself, asked him to help her grow seeds for her pepper garden. He was hooked! By the time he was a teen, he had his own rose and orchid collection numbering in the hundreds. Botany was in his blood, and that is what he set out to study.

His passion brought him to NY in the late seventies to further his education. His tenacity allowed him to work full time at Plant Specialists while he completed a MS in Plant Biology. As a manager at the time he felt unsatisfied with his knowledge of business and business processes. Peter felt compelled to learn, so he then pursued and completed an MBA in Quality Management within a few short years.

Peter’s other passion is teaching. His natural ability is quickly consumed by our staff in all subjects in Botany, Horticulture, and Landscaping. He created an immense reference library of more than 3,500 plants providing an invaluable resource for our staff.

Peter’s breadth of knowledge and wisdom allows him to effectively diagnose the needs of plants. Sometimes just by walking into a garden he can create a prescription that fixes even the hardest issue. He is our Staff Botanist, Diagnostician, and all around Mentor. Recently, he has put his immense knowledge and skills into developing a new department that focuses on Plant Healthcare. As he puts it, “Magic through Science”. The PHC staff that surround him have avidly consumed his teachings. Substantially developing their own plant wisdom, many have taken on difficult plant health issues with spectacular results.

Plant Healthcare has been an instant success with customers! The proper treatment of insects and diseases including Organic methods has made pest control a necessity for every plant. Correcting hormonal imbalances caused by planting in containers or refurbishing soils leached of nutrients by irrigation systems are big challenges PHC has become quite comfortable addressing. The scientific approach to the complex demands of keeping plants healthy in our harsh city environment has made many a customer say WOW!

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