The crape myrtles have just started blooming around the Chattanooga area. Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica x L. fauriei) was introduced to the Southern United States more than 150 years ago. It is sometimes called the "lilac of the South." They had their geographic origins in China, Japan and other parts of Southeast Asia. It has been cultivated as an ornamental for centuries.
Few trees compare with the flower color and quality of the crape myrtle at a time of year when it's scorching hot in the South. Even if a severe winter kills most of the top growth -- like it did two years ago in our area -- the crape myrtle is capable of growing back in a short time.
Colorful crapes
The individual flowers generally have six ruffled petals. They resemble crinkled crepe paper, so many people call them crepe myrtles. There are five basic colors: red, pink, white, lavender and purple. Some cultivars have picotee flowers (pink petals with white borders).
The other outstanding feature is the bark. It is smooth and sinewy. The gray to brown bark peels away gradually and exposes shades of cinnamon brown and green.
The lower branches are often thinned to show off the trunk form and color. The foliage is dark green, changing in fall to yellows, oranges and reds.
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