Dynamite crape myrtle

Sun

Full sun, ideally at least 6-8 hours daily; choose a warm, sheltered position in cooler climates.

Water

Water regularly while establishing. Established trees tolerate dry spells, but flower better with occasional deep watering during prolonged drought.

Soil

Well-drained loam, clay or sandy soil; slightly acidic to neutral is ideal. Avoid persistently waterlogged ground.

Height

15-25 ft (4.6-7.6 m)

Spread

10-20 ft (3-6.1 m)

Flowers

Large clusters of bright red, crinkled flowers from midsummer into early autumn. Some flowers may open pinkish or nearly white during cool, cloudy weather.

Foliage

New leaves emerge reddish, mature to dark green and usually turn orange to red in autumn.

Growth

Moderate to fast in warm climates; slower where summers are cool.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Disease resistant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   7 ft (2 m)

2. After 1 year

   7 ft (2.2 m)

3. After 2 years

   8 ft (2.4 m)

4. After 3 years

   9 ft (2.6 m)

5. After 5 years

   10 ft (3 m)

About 20 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Moderate

• Water deeply through the first two growing seasons whenever the root zone starts to dry.
• Spread 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch over the root zone, keeping it clear of the trunk.
• Feed lightly in spring only if growth is weak or the soil is poor; excess nitrogen encourages leaves rather than flowers.
• Remove unwanted shoots from the base if you want a clear-trunked tree.
• Allow enough space for the mature crown rather than relying on annual size reduction.

Pruning. Prune in late winter or early spring before new growth starts, removing dead, crossing and poorly placed branches. Flowers form on new growth, but routine hard cutting or topping is unnecessary and produces weak shoots and knobbly branch ends.

Late winter

Prune lightly for structure and remove dead wood; avoid topping established trees.

Spring

Plant after severe frosts have passed in cooler regions, then water thoroughly and mulch.

Late spring

Check emerging growth for aphids and remove unwanted basal shoots.

Summer

Water young trees deeply during dry weather and check bark for scale insects.

Late summer

Enjoy flowering; removing reachable spent clusters is optional, not essential.

Autumn

Stop nitrogen feeding and replenish mulch without piling it against the trunk.

• Use as a single specimen beside a lawn or terrace, leaving room for its spreading crown.
• Train with several trunks to show off the smooth, peeling bark in a sunny courtyard.
• Place behind ornamental grasses and blue-flowered perennials for a strong late-summer colour contrast.
• Repeat along a broad driveway or boundary for a seasonal rhythm of red flowers and autumn colour.

Garden styles it suits: Southern, Traditional, Modern courtyard, Mediterranean, Hot border and Autumn colour.

Plant it with: Catmint, Russian sage, Salvia, Coneflower, Switchgrass and Dwarf fountain grass.

Wildlife: Flowers provide pollen for bees. The branching crown offers cover and potential nesting sites for small birds.

• Powdery mildew: this cultivar has useful resistance, but infection is still possible; provide full sun, good airflow and avoid excessive nitrogen.
• Crape myrtle aphids and sooty mould: inspect leaf undersides, wash off small infestations and use insecticidal soap if necessary, following the label.
• Crape myrtle bark scale, particularly in parts of the United States: look for white felted patches and blackened bark; seek locally recommended treatment because established infestations can be difficult to control.
• Poor flowering or winter dieback: choose the warmest sunny site available, avoid late feeding and wait until growth resumes before cutting out frost-killed wood.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. No part is recognized as a significant poisoning hazard, but it is not a food plant.

• Red Rocket crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica 'Whit IV')

  Another red-flowered cultivar with very similar foliage and habit; flower colour varies with weather, so a reliable nursery label is the safest distinction.

• Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)

  Has larger, individual hibiscus flowers rather than clusters of small crinkled flowers, and lobed or coarsely toothed leaves.

Lagerstroemia honours Swedish merchant Magnus von Lagerström, indica means 'of India', and crape myrtle refers to the crinkled, crape-like petals and myrtle-like leaves.

Propagation. Take softwood cuttings in late spring or early summer, or semi-ripe cuttings later in summer. Seedlings will not reliably retain the cultivar's red flowers or other characteristics.

Accepted botanical name

Lagerstroemia indica

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states, Pacific Basin and Puerto Rico.

Native range

Assam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China South-Central, China Southeast, East Himalaya, Hainan, Myanmar, Nepal, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Measured

Soil pH 5 to 7.5. Average height 670 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.