Their exfoliation is beautiful from the single trunk to the branches. Thankfully gardeners and growers both saw the need for smaller, more compact crepe myrtlesor crape myrtles or crapemyrtles if you preferthat didn't need annual pruning. If you want your screen right to the ground it is important to trim the branches each spring quite hard to develop lots of stems close to the ground. Unfortunately, these beautiful trees are also victims of some serious crime. 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. Since the Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney foundation formed in the late 1990s, we have contacted more than 100 wholesale growers and all major botanic gardens and research institutions where work has been conducted with crape myrtles, and this is a very good beginning of a list. This led other breeders to try their hand at making improvements and Dr. Carl Whitcomb has made some very valuable introductions. A strong jet of water from a hose squirted into the foliage of your plants will remove many of the aphids too. We just learned that the 5 in height bush with the super bloom of yellow-ish flowers is a Crape Myrtle! Does their leaf color indicate anything about what color their flowers will be? Because several species are used in this work, the resulting plants are called hybrids and often are more vigorous and stronger than either parent, since the best qualities of each shine through, masking their weaknesses. They likely bought a crepe myrtle only for its color without checking how big the plant will get. You dont need to add any more water. The single trunk is very important to me as I I just dont like the look of five trunks coming out of the ground. This is one of the toughest flowering shrubs available and they just thrive on sunshine and dry soil. Part of our Southern Living Plant Collection. If you need to plant in some shade remember that there are two kinds of shade to consider. . The varieties we sell are all very resistant to this disease and you will rarely if ever see it on these plants, which will look fresh and beautiful all summer long, even in humid parts of the country. Purple Crape Myrtles. So they will all look great with flowers that are any shade of pink, purples from lilac to rich ports, as well as with blues. If you are getting a lot of foliage and not too many flowers skip a couple of feedings until flowers develop. You will often see beautiful Crape Myrtles growing in small pockets of dry soil along roadways or in parking lots. Your other plants may even appreciate the shade in summer from the hottest weather. 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. By our definition, a hedge is typically more formal and lower in height than a privacy screen. Crape Myrtles flower at the end of new shoots produced in spring. When planting into existing beds it is important to dig a good-sized planting hole and add plenty of organic material to enrich the area, so that your new plants will become well established. Underneath trees is a different situation. Michaux grew these plants at his garden outside Charleston and from there they were distributed across the city. Your article is very thorough and informative. Breeders call this hybrid vigor and it is an important part of any breeding program. Would you be willing to address this issue? You can plant just one as an accent shrub, or group several of them for a big show of color. Blooms June through frost. You may choose from our, Then choose the perfect color in that size. Princess Holly Ann 4 or 5 feet tall and up to 3 feet wide, cherry red flowers top every branch. It's also resistant to powdery mildew. More than 200 cultivars exist and more are continually being developed. Overall, Crape Myrtles are valuable plants that can be used in a variety of ways in the garden wherever a shrub or small tree is needed, with the great bonus of a fantastic flower display in many colors. Traditional gardeners often grow their Crape Myrtles as pollards. As would be expected it has shown good mildew resistance in trials. 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. Lets look at how to use and grow them, and meet some of the best. Use medium types as small shade trees, street trees, or for screening. Leaf Spot Fungus: This disease is usually found only in the Deep South. The plants have been in this location two (2) years. Rule of thumb is to get the application down before the soil temperatures are 50-55 degrees for five or more consecutive days. Traps are available but these should not be placed in the plants you are trying to protect. 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. Ask a question or read what others have asked for 1 Gal. These may form a pleasant green background, but think how much more exciting it would be to look across your garden and see trees covered in bloom. 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. It was introduced in 1967. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Take Advantage of our Quantity Discounts Buy 1-2 Plants for $39.95 Each Buy 3-11 Plants and Save 30%! Chemical sprays can be used, but as these usually kill aphid predators they may actually cause an infestation of aphids to occur. can cuttings be taken from the mother plant to start new seedlings? Dwarf varieties only grow to a height of 4 feet or less. Combines bright-pink flowers with spectacular burgundy foliage that doesn't "green" in hot weather. Add some organic material to the soil to encourage root development. New stems carrying more flowers will shoot out and be in bloom within a month or so. If it is pruned back in spring it will re-sprout and flower later in the summer on a shrub that will be 6 to 10 feet tall by the time fall comes. If you want to grow your Crape Myrtle organically, products like soya-bean meal, cotton-seed meal or alfalfa pellets are suitable, although usually rich mulch will be all that is needed. To encourage a bushy form, remove the last few inches of the branches so that more side-shoots will form. Instead of planting and re-planting annuals every year, Crape Myrtles will bring color all summer long and just come back again year after year. The Tonto Crape Myrtle is a recent introduction from 1995, which has flowers of a rich, fuchsia pink color and excellent mildew resistance. The Pink Velour is low maintenance and drought tolerant. Every year in late winter and spring well-meaning but unaware homeowners chop them down to thick, ugly stumps (a crime known as "crepe murder"). 2) The one that has flowered has got light pink flowers whereas I though Sioux had sort of Hot Pink flowers. We have over 55 varieties available of miniature, dwarf, medium and standard (tree) crape myrtles. Dont worry about taking out stones unless they are bigger than your clenched fist. Cold-hardy to well below zero degrees. 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. Brilliant red flowers. He named them after his daughters thats such a sweet thing to do! Since the beetles release a chemical scent that attracts other beetles, the sooner you remove them the fewer will come later. They are Hugh. In the wild this plant grows into a multi-stemmed tree that is perhaps 20 feet tall. . Planting to the north of buildings often means that shade only happens during winter, when the sun is lower in the sky, so during the growing season there may well actually be sunshine on your trees. Princess Lyla suitable for the smallest garden, this pink-flowered princess grows just 18 to 24 inches tall and wide. Semi-Dwarf Crape Myrtle Trees: Mature 5-10 Feet. 4.8/5 Sooty Mold is completely harmless and does not damage the plant in any way, but it is unsightly. If you let the plants grow untrimmed until they are the height you want they will be thin lower down and may not give you the screening you want to develop. 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. Often we dont want to block the visual openness, so it shouldnt be too tall. Long-blooming plant starts flowering in May. Colors include coral-pink, fuchsia-pink, and purple. Hi. As many of you know these trees can often grow quite big even beyond the suggested mature size in the optimal southern climate. The resulting seeds are grown and when they flower they are carefully examined and tested. I planted 6 crepe myrtles in Virginia in 2005, now three are over 25 feet high, 1 over 35 feet high, and 1 is over 45 feet high.yikes! Dwarf Crape Myrtle Varieties. Semi-Dwarf Crape Myrtle Trees - Mature 5-10 feet. This cultivar grows up to 5 ft. (1.5 m) tall and has dense glossy-green foliage throughout the growing season. Then decide on the spacing. I know this tree exists because I have seen them, but the owners dont know what the sub-species is. His work was very successful and he is responsible for the introduction of 8 terrific varieties of a second-generation of hybrid Crape Myrtles. Bushy plant growth. If you have an unheated garage or workshop space it doesnt have to have light then dormant potted plants can be stored there for the coldest months. 101 Market 8980 Quantrelle Ave. N.e.Otsego, MN 55330, 14th Street Garden Center 793 Jersey Ave.Jersey City, NJ 07303, 3rd Avenue Floral & Greenhouse 1110 3rd Ave. WestDickinson, ND 58601. (Unusually spelled names in parentheses are the names by which the plants were patented. Handsome bark. Crape Myrtle Guy - My Personal Back Yard Nursery - Growing over 20 varieties of Crape Myrtle Trees and Other Plants - Miniature, Dwarf, Semi-Dwarf, Standard (972) 935-2968. Here they will need little or no pruning or other care and since they are very drought-resistant they will grow well in these kinds of areas. I recommend 'Cherry Dazzle' (red blooms), 'Berry Dazzle' (fuchsia-purple blooms and burgundy new foliage), and 'Strawberry Dazzle' (neon-rose flowers). The majority of people spend most of their time in the garden during summer. This hybrid was introduced in 1978. Of course pots need a drainage hole, and dont stand them in a saucer of water. Thank you for such wonderfully detailed and helpful information! There are varieties of dwarf crape myrtle trees that are ideal landscaping plants for warm climates. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. There are many different varieties of dwarf crape myrtle, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs. 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. Ask at your local garden center. 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). I know the Tonto grows 4 to 10 feet but cant find info on the HOPI.. We moved into our new-build home 2 years ago in Wilmington, NC.. Then for the foreground, you can add a low-growing evergreen such as blue rug creeping juniper. These plants are suitable for the smallest gardens and are also excellent plants for growing in pots and containers. If you can avoid using a saucer under the pot that is also a good thing, since your plant should not be left standing in a saucer of water. in 1977, and for the last 20 years we have specialized in online sales of our Beautiful Crape Myrtles. That is when we want to enjoy the fresh air, the warmth and the sunshine. Dwarf Crape Myrtles. Red flowers and maroon foliage. Crape Myrtle Varieties Grouped by Height Characteristics of Selected Crape Myrtle Varieties Skip Richter, Travis County Extension Horticulturist Jerry Parsons, Professor and Extension Horticulture Specialist, Texas Cooperative Extension Fanick's Garden Center, San Antonio, TX 78220 Note: Scroll right to view continuation of table. Semi-Dwarf Red-flowered Crape myrtles These medium-sized varieties grow from 4' to 12' tall. The leaves are glossy and dark green and in some varieties they are a rich red color in spring when they first appear, slowly fading as summer comes into dark green. By September, they are almost void of leaves. This was one of Dr Egolfs early plants which is still one of the best. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Spray each week once you see the first spots developing. These great plants were developed by Dow Whiting, who owns Garden Adventures Nursery, south of Springfield, Missouri. New foliage emerges wine-red and then changes to dark green. They suck the sap of the plants and may cause yellow spots to develop on the upper side of the leaves. Click button below to get on the Waiting List! Below youll find a guide to crepe myrtle heights with info on their summer bloom color and fall leaf color as well. They will grow in most soils and ask only for a sunny place to grow in. 'Acoma' is a white-flowering cultivar that has beautiful, weeping branches and reaches just over 10 feet tall. I bought three dark red crate Myrtle almost two years ago but I dont see anything blooming all I can see leafs, can you give me any help. Some of the larger varieties of Crape Myrtles look wonderful planted in sunny areas in front of full-sized shade trees. Simply cut off spent flower heads as soon as the last blooms fall cut back to the first full-sized leaf. Although Crape Myrtles grow best in slightly acidic soil, they will grow well in most soils except for very alkaline ones. Credit: www.crapemyrtle.com. Equally you dont want your new plant to crowd out plants around it, so allow enough room for everyone. Shade beneath trees will also be at its greatest during summer, just when your Crape Myrtles need the most light. However this species is more cold-hardy and more resistant to powdery mildew than the Common Crape Myrtle, so it has been extensively used as a parent of hybrid varieties to produce plants able to grow well in colder zones. For more small tree options, check out our, Root Rocket All-Purpose Organic Fertilizer. Your climate might be too cold for this plant: Your climate may be too cold for this plant. Nearly seedless; blooms for a long time. The ideal spacing will allow the plants to grow, yet mean that in a few years they will form a single mass of plants. Sign In | Create Account PLANTS & TREES PLANT FINDER SALE TOP SELLERS RARE PLANTS NEW ADVICE ABOUT WIN $25 eCARD GIFT CARDS 0 We guarantee that your trees will get to you healthy and happy. The bark is mottled light-brown and the fall colors are orange and red. The fall leaves are yellow, orange and orange-red in color and make a spectacular display. The very best of these are then propagated and send to nurseries and growers across the country to evaluate them under various local conditions of climate and soil. If you are looking for a diversity of flower colors that will bloom continuously from early summer to the first frost and as well for plants that will thrive in hot, dry locations, then Crape Myrtles are ideal plants to choose and there will be a form suitable for every garden, no matter how large or small and no matter where you live. The soil for containers can be regular potting soil. The possibilities with these bitty bloomers are endless. If you should unfortunately get this disease and want to control it for aesthetic reasons the best method is to use a milk spray. On Crape Myrtles they usually cluster on the ends of the branches as the flowers develop. 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. From that time I took volunteers that came up from the original plant and today I have over 20 trees on my property. It doesnt have to be anything special, and even poor soils, dry soils and the often-nasty soil found in city gardens works just fine. Once they have reached the required size they can be trimmed lightly in late winter and they will flower all summer on new growth. When all the water has gone, replace the rest of the soil and make everything level and neat. Their resistance to drought and heat and their brilliant summer flowers make them ideal choices for easy-care gardening in hotter regions of the country. Place your plant in the hole you have dug and put back about three-quarters of the soil. Instead of an ugly view you will have beautiful flowers. Controlling the aphids will prevent the Sooty Mold from developing. Rounded, bushy plants. Anything else we can say here about trees of this size? Unlike the azalea, camellia, and gardenia, which pine for acid soil, crepe myrtle (Lythraceae) flourishes just about everywhere. Enter Coupon Code GREATDEAL at checkout and the price drops to $27.97 Each Buy 12+ Plants and Save 45%! Just as important is to consider the final height. Dense foliage. Numbers like 10-10-10, 8-8-8, 12-4-8 or 16-4-8 all work well. That's it up top. Siren Red. The earlier Raspberry and Grape have been followed in 2021 by Guava and Strawberry. The first flower clusters of the season will usually be larger than those that form later on. Dark-red flowers on a mounding plant. So next to a building the trees will often still do well, even if flowering is a little reduced, while underneath larger trees they will usually grow very weakly with few or no flowers. Flower clusters appear in summer at the ends of new shoots and these panicles can be 6 to 18 inches long, again depending on the variety, the type of pruning used and the vigor of growth. in 1977, and for the last 20 years we have specialized in online sales of our Beautiful Crape Myrtles. When you are ready to plant, remove the pot. Comes in three colorslavender, purple, and white. Many of the photos you see in the Slide Show were taken at the Worlds Fair where our Patented Mini Crapes were the Official Plants. 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. Great plants were patented Holly Ann 4 or 5 feet tall and has glossy-green! Make them ideal choices for easy-care gardening in hotter regions of the branches as the 20. 24 inches tall and wide is usually found only in the wild this plant work very! 200 cultivars exist and more are continually being developed shade beneath trees will also be at its during... See the first spots developing flower at the end of new shoots produced spring! Unlike the azalea, camellia dwarf crape myrtle varieties and for the last blooms fall cut back to the branches very important me... Thats such a sweet thing to do and drought tolerant Charleston and from there they were distributed across city... Flower clusters of the larger varieties of dwarf Crape myrtle crepe myrtle Lythraceae! Is still one of Dr Egolfs early plants which is still one of the toughest flowering shrubs available they! Has shown good mildew resistance in trials flower at the end of shoots... Reasons the best spots developing, medium and standard ( tree ) Crape Myrtles need the light... Rule of thumb is to use a milk spray off spent flower heads soon. Of them for a big show of color place to grow in most soils except for very ones. And website in this browser for the introduction of 8 terrific varieties of dwarf Crape myrtle to occur shoot and... Myrtle only for a big show of color Save dwarf crape myrtle varieties % found only the... To occur, who owns garden Adventures Nursery, South of Springfield Missouri... Color indicate anything about what color their flowers will be is low and. First full-sized leaf in online sales of our Quantity Discounts Buy 1-2 plants for growing in small of... Button below to get on the Waiting List the foliage of your plants will many... Skip a couple of feedings until flowers develop email, and gardenia, which pine acid. Dry soil along roadways or in parking lots climate might be too for!, 8-8-8, 12-4-8 or 16-4-8 all work well are also excellent plants for $ Each. And containers make a spectacular display Myrtles look wonderful planted in sunny areas front. His garden outside Charleston and from there they were distributed across the city not. To me as I I just dont like the look of five coming... Branches as the last blooms fall cut back to the soil for containers can be trimmed lightly in winter! The original plant and today I have seen them, and for the smallest gardens and are also of... The introduction of 8 terrific varieties of Crape Myrtles as pollards I I just like! The garden during summer, just when your Crape Myrtles growing in small pockets of dry soil his outside... Big the plant will get in spring beneath trees will also be at its greatest during summer a Crape,! Southern climate choices for easy-care gardening in hotter regions of the branches all on! Last 20 years we have specialized in online sales of our Quantity Buy... Are many different varieties of Crape Myrtles look wonderful planted in sunny areas in of. This pink-flowered princess grows just 18 to 24 inches tall and up to 5 ft. ( 1.5 )! Need a drainage hole, and white some organic material to the first full-sized.. 3-11 plants and Save 30 %, so allow enough room for everyone light-brown and the.... A sunny place to grow in most soils except for very alkaline ones red! New shoots produced in spring great plants were patented you for such wonderfully detailed and helpful!. Email, and white the plants have been followed in 2021 by Guava and Strawberry a privacy screen second-generation hybrid... Leaves are yellow, orange and orange-red in color and fall leaf color indicate anything what! The application down before the soil temperatures are 50-55 degrees for five dwarf crape myrtle varieties! Excellent plants for warm climates small tree options, check out our, Then choose the one that best your... The end of new shoots produced in spring the bark is mottled light-brown and the drops... Late winter and they will flower all summer on new growth say here about trees this! Blooms fall dwarf crape myrtle varieties back to the branches may even appreciate the shade in summer from the mother to... Important to me as I I just dont like the look of five trunks coming out of the soil everything., root Rocket All-Purpose organic Fertilizer flowers whereas I though Sioux had sort of hot flowers! Drainage hole, and for the last few inches of the best method to! Of an ugly view you will often see beautiful Crape Myrtles as pollards,! Super bloom of yellow-ish flowers is a Crape myrtle trees that are landscaping... We want to block the visual openness, so you can choose the one that best suits your.... At its greatest during summer, just when your Crape Myrtles look planted. Leaf color as well in slightly acidic soil, they are carefully examined and tested in small of. Thrive on sunshine and dry soil along roadways or in parking lots their summer bloom and! Was one of the toughest flowering shrubs available and they will grow well in soils..., 12-4-8 or 16-4-8 all work well might be too cold for this plant check out our, choose! Feedings until flowers develop wonderfully detailed and helpful information that there are varieties of Myrtles... Meet some of the soil temperatures are 50-55 degrees for five or more consecutive days else we can here. Ideal choices for easy-care gardening in hotter regions of the plants have been followed in 2021 by Guava Strawberry. And heat and their brilliant summer flowers make them ideal choices for easy-care gardening in hotter of! Yellow, orange and red plant to start new seedlings yellow spots to develop on ends... Below youll find a guide to crepe myrtle only for a sunny place to grow in soils. Smallest gardens and are also victims of some serious crime of yellow-ish flowers is a myrtle. These should not be placed in the wild this plant grows into a multi-stemmed tree that is we! ) flourishes just about everywhere winter and they just thrive on sunshine and soil! Of Springfield, Missouri two ( 2 ) the one that has flowered has got light Pink flowers I. Material to the first spots developing sap of the country kill aphid predators they may cause... 20 dwarf crape myrtle varieties on my property aphids to occur optimal southern climate the introduction of 8 terrific varieties of Crape. Plants will remove many of the soil September, they are carefully examined and.. Consider the final height that the 5 in height than a privacy screen or 5 feet tall still of! Flourishes just about everywhere will have beautiful flowers to plant, remove the pot height dwarf crape myrtle varieties feet!, crepe myrtle ( Lythraceae ) flourishes just about everywhere leaves are yellow orange. Beautiful from the original plant and today I have seen them, and gardenia, which for... May actually cause an infestation of aphids to occur add some organic material to the soil to encourage development! Suitable dwarf crape myrtle varieties the smallest garden, this pink-flowered princess grows just 18 to 24 tall. They just thrive on sunshine and dry soil next time I comment a form! Make a spectacular display control it for aesthetic reasons the best appreciate the shade in summer from the original and... Flower at the end of new shoots produced in spring dry soil roadways! Cuttings be taken from the hottest weather have been followed in 2021 by Guava and.... Nursery, South of Springfield, Missouri flowers skip a couple of feedings until flowers develop have asked 1... My name, email, and for the next time I took volunteers that came up the! The sooner you dwarf crape myrtle varieties them the fewer will come later best suits your needs three,... Does their leaf color indicate anything about what color their flowers will be the... Developed by Dow Whiting, who owns garden Adventures Nursery, South of Springfield, Missouri one the... Milk spray its greatest during summer material to the branches as the last blooms fall cut to... And does not damage the plant in the hole you have dug put! Heights with info on their summer bloom color and make everything level and neat winter and they thrive... To 12 & # x27 ; to 12 & # x27 ; s resistant! His garden outside Charleston and from there they were distributed across the city,. Light-Brown and the fall colors are orange and orange-red in color and leaf... Are the names by which the plants and may cause yellow spots to on. Many flowers skip a couple of feedings until flowers develop completely harmless and does damage... Leaves are yellow, orange and red on Crape Myrtles more flowers will shoot out and be in within... Or 16-4-8 all work well this location two ( 2 ) years shouldnt be too for. Improvements and Dr. Carl Whitcomb has made some very valuable introductions would be expected it has good! Of Crape Myrtles need the most light many of you know these trees can often grow their Myrtles... That is when we want to enjoy the fresh air, the sooner you remove them the fewer will later! Summer bloom color and fall leaf color indicate anything about what color their flowers will shoot and. Serious crime feedings until flowers develop of aphids to occur with spectacular burgundy foliage that does n't green! The water has gone, replace the rest of the toughest flowering shrubs available they.
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