When it comes to decorating with the humble crepe myrtle bush, homeowners and gardeners are often torn between growing a bush or opting for a tree. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages, which you’ll be able to read about in this guide. Keep reading.
What is Crepe Myrtle Bush?
Crepe myrtles, Lagerstroemia indica (also known as crape myrtles or crepe-myrtles), are flowering shrubs belonging to the family Lythraceae. They are native to China and Southeast Asia but have been widely cultivated in many other regions for their showy flowers.
The trees bloom in late spring or early summer, with flowers ranging from white to pink, purple and red, in many different shades. The flowers are large, very fragrant, and open during the day. The trees may grow up to 10 m (33 ft) tall, although they are often smaller.
What is Crepe Myrtle tree?
Crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia) is a flowering tree that belongs to the Lythraceae family. The crepe myrtle tree is native to eastern Asia: China and Korea, but it has been cultivated in many parts of the world. It is hardy when planted in USDA zones 6 to 9 and grows best in full sun or partial shade.
Crepe myrtles are known for their bright colors, which range from white to pink and purple. The flowers have long stems that make them excellent for cuttings. You can start new plants from cuttings or seeds.
The crepe myrtle tree grows best in well-drained soil that’s rich in organic matter. It requires little water once established, but you should keep the soil moist during the first year after planting.
What is the Difference between a Myrtle tree and a Crepe Myrtle Tree?
Myrtle trees and crepe myrtles are both popular plants in the southeastern United States. Both of these trees have beautiful flowers and berries, but they have different characteristics.
Myrtle Tree Facts
Myrtle trees are deciduous plants that grow up to 30 feet tall. They have small, glossy leaves that turn a bright green color in the spring and summer and turn brown or red in the fall. Myrtle trees can also be trained into hedges and topiaries, making them a great addition to any garden or landscape design.
Crepe Myrtle Tree Facts
A crepe myrtle is an evergreen plant that grows up to 25 feet tall with deep green leaves that stay on the tree for most of the year. Crepe myrtles bloom in the spring with small yellow flowers that turn into large red berries in late summer or early fall.
Can You Make a Crepe Myrtle Bush into a Tree?
Yes, you can make a crepe myrtle bush into a tree. You need to take cuttings from the branches of your plant. Then plant them in pots of potting soil and keep them moist until they become established. Once they are growing well, you can plant them in the ground or transplant them into larger pots for further growth.
You can also take cuttings from the tips of young branches and root them in water. This is an easy way to get new plants without having to wait for seeds to germinate and grow up first.
Do You Cut Back Crepe Myrtle Bushes?
You can cut back crepe myrtles to maintain the size of the plant and keep it full. Cutting back crepe myrtles is something you do in late winter or early spring, before new growth starts.
If you don’t want to prune your crepe myrtle, you can still trim it up a bit by removing dead branches and thinning out some of the new growth. You should also remove any suckers that sprout up from the base of the tree.
As with other plants, you can use sharp shears or hand pruners to cut back crepe myrtles. It’s best to use a lopper if there’s no way to get behind the branch and reach it with your hand.
Is crepe myrtle the same as myrtle?
Crepe myrtle and myrtle are not the same. Crepe myrtles are part of the Lagerstroemia genus, while myrtles belong to the genus Myrtaceae.
Both plants have similar characteristics, but crepe myrtle has a wider range of colors and blooms later in the spring than myrtles.
Crepe Myrtles
Crepe myrtles have flowers that can be white, pink or purple with contrasting centers. They grow well in full sun or partial shade and need little maintenance beyond pruning when they get too large for their space. The plants grow up to 15 feet tall and wide and produce colorful blooms from late spring through early fall.
Myrtles
Myrtles come in shades of white, pink, red or purple and produce clusters of fragrant flowers in summer through fall. They require moderate amounts of sun but can also tolerate partial shade if needed. The plants grow up to 25 feet tall by 15 feet wide at maturity; however, they can be pruned back to keep them smaller if desired.
Which Crepe Myrtle is Best?
The Lagertroemia ‘Zuni’ crepe myrtle is one of the best. It has beautiful red flowers that last for weeks and grow to be about 10 feet tall. It’s also a very hardy plant, which means it can withstand droughts and other environmental changes.
The tree-like crepe myrtles have been around since the 1700s. They’ve been used in Southern gardens since then because they’re easy to grow, they don’t need much water or fertilizer, and they’re beautiful year-round.
Crepe Myrtles are known for their long blooming season (about six weeks – eight weeks). They come in many different colors, from deep purple to bright orange to shades of pink.