July 17, 1999

I love crape myrtles. I think that they are just so Southern. They can be either a tree or a shrub. There are a large range of colors between white and bright red to lavender. They tolerate full sun and indifferent soil. Believe me, they are thriving on my ant pile of a sandy yard. and I hate to see when they get a.) either pruned incorrectly, or b.) pruned so hard you don't even recognize them as a tree/large shrub. It is ridiculous. Here is a good article on pruning crapes properly.

I have seven of them out in my yard right now. I plan on adding at least 5 more throughout the landscape. The ones I have are back in the Purple/Pink/White Garden Corner. Formally, I call it The Purple Garden. I allow pinks and whites and silvers into it for contrast though. It is in a triangle shape and the back corner of the lot is the tip and it extends out in the triangular shape.

The best Crape Myrtle is a Multi-Trunk Myrtle. More than one trunk but at the most, having three. Four trunks just starts being too clustery looking. With 2-3 you are more aware of the absolutely gorgeous bark. 'Natchez' is the best in that respect. It blooms white panicles of flowers in summer and can grow 20' tall. I would love to have two of these, one on either side of the entrance for the driveway.

Crape Myrtle's are deciduous (loses leaves in winter) but the decorative bark and wild, boisterous summer color more than make up for it. (i'm an evergreen lover)

Powdery Mildew (a whitish dust that shows up on leaves and flower buds) can be a problem though. If this does happen spray with a fungicide. This is another reason why pruning out your tree or shrub properly, is very important. Dampness, lack of air circulation, and being crowded out can bring on this disease in a second. Also, water the ground and refrain from wetting the foliage. Especially at night.

Aphids can also be a problem but are taken care of by spraying the leaves with a strong water spray from the garden hose.

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