CREPE MYRTLE
The Crepe Myrtle Trees provide us with a great summer show and flower around town beautifully. As are the Dwarf Crepe Myrtles growing to 1.2m (4’) and ideal for beds built into lawns, for pots, and general garden use where a plant of low height is needed in a sunny spot. They come in colours of white, pink, dark pink, mauve, and ruby red. Crepe Myrtles have good cold tolerance and the flower petals are ruffled, with a crepe-like texture. In autumn the mid-green leaves turn yellow, orange or red (depending on the variety) before falling.
The Indian Summer series of Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica x L. fauriei) have been specially bred to resist powdery mildew, a fungal disease that can be seen on some older crepe myrtle varieties. Each cultivar is named after an American Indian tribe, and they range in heights from around 3-6m (10-18’).
Varieties:
- ‘Acoma’ (white flowers and a weeping habit), 3m (10′)
- ‘Tonto’ (rich pink flowers), 3m (10′)
- ‘Zuni’ (mauve flowers), 3m (10′)
- ‘Sioux’ (carmine pink flowers) 4m (12′)
- ‘Yuma’ (pale pink flowers) 4m (12′)
- ‘Tuscarora’ (rose red flowers) 5m (15′)
- ‘Natchez’ (white flowers) 6m (18′)
On the trees, remove low growth to develop a smooth, attractive trunk. Mulching Crepe Myrtles with leafy mulch is preferred to help with moisture retention, weed prevention, and improve your soil. Please keep plants well watered until established and also in prolonged dry periods. Remember my chook scratch method – to check the moisture levels scratch the soil like a chook and if there is moisture not far down you don’t need to water.
Crepe Myrtles are a very hardy plant for tough conditions. They do well in poor soils and resent feeding with rich manures so for the best results feed Crepe Myrtles with a controlled release complete fertilizer including trace elements and potash. Some varieties are susceptible to powdery mildew and this can be controlled.
If you are concerned with any possible pest or disease problems in your garden please trim some affected growth from the plant, place in a tied plastic bag or sealed container so you don’t spread the problem. Bring the sample to us and our dedicated horticulturists can identify the problem and recommend the correct treatment.
