CRAPE MYRTLE: Bursting with Color

August 08, 2018

CRAPE MYRTLE: Bursting with Color

So, you are seeing burst of bright colored trees and bushes around right now as you drive around and you don't know what they are?

They are Crape Myrtles and YES they grow in the North East.

We carry many varieties of crape myrtle that are hardy for our winters.

Crape myrtles are the most widely planted, summer flowering tree in the southern United States. There are crape myrtle festivals and crape myrtle trails. Crape myrtles are the official shrubs and trees of cities and states around the country. There is no doubt as to their current and continued popularity. The North has now jumped on the Summer Flower Fun Festival and we now have many varieties to choose from.

With so many new varieties how do you know which to choose?‎

The Lowdown on Crape Myrtles

Plant them in full sun. They do best in a HOT location. Plant them now during the hot summer so that the roots grow into warm soil and establish fast.

Planting in Fall is not encouraged for the crape myrtle, although early fall can be fine if a warm fall is expected. Put a layer of mulch over them in Fall before the ground freezes. It's easy, just add it to the Fall clean up list.

Water your crape myrtle during hot dry periods and fertilize in Spring.

The Keys to Success

Full-sun location
Well-drained soil
Soil pH of 6.0-6.5
Fertilize in spring at start of new growth
Prune crape myrtles by thinning branches in Early Spring‎
Mulch by "going out" not "going up"; avoid piling mulch around the trunk

Do you have a formal garden design? A cottage garden? No design; just a collection of plants that you love? Crape myrtles fit in all designs. Start by deciding the size that fits the space.

So, do you want a tree or a bush?

Due to their popularity, all sizes have been bred for color and cold tolerance. ‎We have varieties that stay low for the front of the garden. These plants are great to be planted where you spend a lot of time in the summer. Around the pool and patio are prefect. If you have gardens that are full of spring color but become dull in Summer than this plant is a great addition.

You can get a crape myrtle that stays as low as 2ft, medium sizes 3-6ft and taller ones that become large bushes and small trees. The trees make a fantastic focal point in the yard.

See our selection below. We carry all of them at the Hillsborough and Ewing Locations. We are open long summer hours since it's prime for Summer Gardening Right Now.

Monday through Saturday 8am-8pm and Sunday 8am-6pm.

*We offer Delivery and Installation too!!