Crape Myrtle
Lagerstroemia indica hybrids
Family Lythraceae
A hundred days of bloom in the brutal heart of summer — crape myrtle carries crepe-paper flower panicles in whites, pinks, reds, and purples when almost nothing else dares, then drops its leaves to reveal smooth, muscled trunks that carry the winter.
Bees work the panicles all summer, it's safe around pets, and drought barely slows an established tree. The one intelligence test: cultivars come in every height from six to thirty feet, so buy the size you actually want instead of fighting one forever. Choose well and plant it in full sun.
FULL SUN — shade = mildew + no bloom
Low water
Fast growth
Attracts bees
From the print shop
Growing crape myrtle? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries crape myrtle — Lagerstroemia indica, print Nº 135, “Crape Myrtle.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what crape myrtle actually needs.
Hardy inZones 6-10Crape Myrtle · Common problems
Common crape myrtle problems
Pests
3 problems on file
- Crape Myrtle Bark Scale (sooty trunks — newish pest)
- Aphids
- Japanese Beetles
Diseases
2 problems on file
- Powdery Mildew (old varieties; Natchez-era hybrids resist)
- Cercospora Leaf Spot
Crape Myrtle · Growing & propagation
Growing crape myrtle
- Light
- FULL SUN
Shade = mildew + no bloom
- Water
- Low once established
Soil- Any drained · pH 6.0 - 7.3
Fertilizer- Light spring feed
Excess N = leaves over bloom
Pruning- Late winter: pencil-thin twigs and seed heads ONLY
'CRAPE MURDER' (topping to knuckles) is the region-wide malpractice — it ruins the muscled sculptural trunks that are half the tree's beauty. Buy the mature size you want.
Spacing- 10-15 ft
How to plant & propagate crape myrtle
- Propagate
- Seed (stratify), cuttings, or layering
Crape Myrtle · Seasonal care & spray guidance
The crape myrtle growing playbook
When to spray crape myrtle
Dormant season. Dormant oil if bark scale arrives.
Growing season. Mildew-resistant hybrids solved the old plague.
Crape Myrtle · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Crape Myrtle · Yearly calendar
The crape myrtle year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomPruneBloomJune to September
PruneFebruary to March
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
- Prune — shape it now — cuts heal cleanly and structure is visible.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Crape Myrtle · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Lagerstroemia indica hybrids
Crape Myrtle in the garden system
- Understory layer tree
Attracts- Bees
Moisture- Upland / dry
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
Origin- Introduced
What crape myrtle is grown for
✓ Commonly eaten
Use- Summer avenue color
- Use
- Sculptural trunks
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Crape Myrtle · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a crape myrtle variety
'Natchez' (white, 25 ft, cinnamon bark); 'Muskogee' (lavender); 'Dynamite' (red); 'Pocomoke' (2 ft dwarf!)
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
See where the knowledge comes from.
Crape Myrtle
Lagerstroemia indica hybrids
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Lagerstroemia indica hybrids
- Plant family
- Lythraceae
- Growth habit
- Tree · Perennial
- Origin
- Introduced
- USDA plant symbol
- LAIN
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
for Crape Myrtle
Research from these sources
Publisher marks identify sources, not sponsorship or endorsement.
Questions
Crape Myrtle questions, answered straight.
Is crape myrtle safe for kids and pets?
Crape Myrtle is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
How do you propagate crape myrtle?
Seed (stratify), cuttings, or layering.
Elsewhere
Where crape myrtle sits in the library.
Flowering Dogwood
Eastern Redbud
Maple
Flowering Cherry