Crape myrtle

Lagerstroemia indica (and L. indica x fauriei hybrids) · Lythraceae

Signature summer-blooming tree of the South

Photo: Juan Carlos Fonseca Mata, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sun: Full sun
Soil: Well-drained, adaptable
Soil pH: About 5.0-6.5; tolerates acid to alkaline soil
Water: Low once established; highly drought-tolerant
Hardiness: USDA zones 6-9 or 7-9, depending on cultivar
Height and spread: Dwarf to 30 ft (occasionally 40 ft). L. indica 10-30 ft x 15-25 ft

Guv's tipPlease, no topping your crape myrtle. Choose a cultivar of the right size and prune in late winter or early spring instead.

Through the year

When to plant

Fall or early spring. Avoid summer

Harvest or flowering

Early summer into fall

Pruning

Late winter or early spring, before new growth. Avoid topping ("crape murder"); choose a cultivar of the right size. Rub off or remove suckers and crossing branches

Making more plants

Cuttings (also seed)

Watch out for

Pest

Crapemyrtle bark scale

Look for: White felty scales on bark, black sooty mold

What to do: Brush/scrub scale off bark; dormant oil plus systemic insecticide for severe infestations (labeled products)

Pest

Crape myrtle aphid (Sarucallis kahawaluokalani)

Look for: Pale yellow-green aphids, honeydew, sooty mold

What to do: Water spray; insecticidal soap/oil; conserve lady beetles and lacewings

Disease

Powdery mildew

Erysiphe lagerstroemiae

Look for: White-gray powdery growth on leaves, flowers, shoots

What to do: Full sun, air circulation, mildew-resistant cultivars; fungicide rarely needed (cosmetic)

Disease

Cercospora leaf spot

Cercospora-type fungus (Pseudocercospora lythracearum)

Look for: Yellow to brown spots, late-summer leaf drop

What to do: Resistant cultivars, good air circulation; mainly cosmetic

Always read and follow the label on any treatment, and check it is approved for use where you live.

Safety and spread

Pets and people: Non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses (ASPCA). Not listed as poisonous by NC State Extension

Weed risk: Not on the federal noxious weed list

Checked against two or more reputable gardening sources. How we check our facts

Keep it by the back door

The Plant Doctor and the Guv's book

Printable pest and disease charts with real photographs, and all 50 USA plants in one book.

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