How tall do crepe myrtles get?
The first step in planting crape myrtles is choosing a spot that allows for plenty of space for the mature plant. It’s common for crape myrtles to reach a height of 15-20 feet, while compact varieties, like Summerlasting™ Crape Myrtles, are much smaller. Find a Sunny Location First, you need to decide where in your garden the crape myrtle should go. They need full sun and good air circulation for the best blooms. Six hours of sun a day is the minimum requirement. It will grow in most soil as long as there is good drainage.Basham’s Party Pink is the fastest growing Crape Myrtle Tree we have ever seen. It is not unusual for Basham’s Party Pink to grow 12 to 15 feet per year! It is a very full upright tree that grows to 30ft+ tall with a 20ft+ canopy. Its flowers can best be described as a pale pinkish with light lavender undertones.Lagerstroemia floribunda (King’s Crape Myrtle) – The ultimate rarity, maturing to a jaw-dropping 100 feet tall! With cascading branches and vibrant blooms in shades of pink, purple, and red, this tree is so rare you’re almost guaranteed to be the only one you know who has it!How Fast do Black Diamond Crape Myrtles Grow? A Black Diamond Crape Myrtle tree can grow 2 to 4 feet in a single year. Once they get to mature height the trunks and branches grow thicker, but the trees stay around 12 feet tall.
Do crepe myrtles grow fast?
Crepe myrtles can be grown as either a shrub or small tree and are often used in groupings to create privacy hedges. Their average height is between 15 and 25 feet and they can grow fast – up to 2 feet in 1 year! In addition, crepe Myrtles have shallow, non-invasive roots, making them safe to plant near your house. These trees thrive in full sun and well-drained soil. They can grow up to 30 feet tall, so give them enough space.While crepe myrtles are typically outdoor plants due to their size and sunlight requirements, you can start them indoors from seeds or cuttings. They should be moved outdoors as they grow larger and if you’re looking for them to thrive.In The Shade Crepe myrtles like full sun. While they will tolerate a few hours of shade per day, they need at least six hours of sunlight and are very heat tolerant, perfect for the hot Southern climate. Without the sun they need, they may not have many or any blooms.Crepe myrtle bushes tend to grow shorter with a shrubby form. They often have several stems growing from the base. These are great as ornamental shrubs, border plants, or in group plantings. Crepe myrtle trees, on the other hand, grow upright.
Can a crepe myrtle be kept small?
Thankfully gardeners and growers both saw the need for smaller, more compact crepe myrtles—or crape myrtles or crapemyrtles if you prefer—that didn’t need annual pruning. Growers created new selections of dwarf and semi-dwarf types that bloomed well, resisted disease, and were hardy. Crape Myrtles began being cut back after recommendation of cutting the dead flower buds from the previous season. This was to promote more blooms in the next season. Crape myrtles grow very tall so people began cutting them where they could reach resulting in the masses cutting the trees back to nothing.If you are trying to reduce the height or spread of the Crape Myrtle, you can reduce size somewhat by using selective heading cuts and possibly pollarding. But these will only provide limited size reduction. Moreover, both are time-intensive pruning techniques that require expertise.Crape myrtle do not have invasive root systems, which may be one reason they are used as sidewalk margin trees. They don’t lift the sidewalks as so many other trees do. And their beautiful fall color is another reward. Crape myrtles have been grown in China since the Tang dynasty.Crape myrtles are very hardy, so they are very forgiving during periods of neglect or over pruning, but imagine the display of flowers your plant will give you with the proper care! Newer branches won’t be able to hold the weight of the blooms due to growing too long and weak especially when wet.
Why don’t people like crepe myrtles?
From regular suckers that need to be trimmed regularly to a vigorous root system that makes it nearly impossible to get rid of, there are many hidden downsides of growing a crepe myrtle tree. As a nonnative, crepe myrtles also aren’t the best choice for gardeners who want to attract birds and pollinators to their yard. TreeNewal’s ISA Certified Arborists provide the answers to these questions and more! How Long Does a Crepe Myrtle Live? Crepe myrtles have a lifespan of around 25 years. However, some crepe myrtles have been known to live for 100 years or more!Crepe myrtles are deciduous, meaning they lose their leaves in the winter. If you are wanting your tree for shade or privacy, make sure that you know your tree is without leaves for part of the year.The crepe myrtle bush has smaller leaves and a smaller crown spread but does have a more diverse flower color range than the crepe myrtle tree. In addition to these differences, the crepe myrtle bush is much hardier compared to the crepe myrtle tree.
What is the lifespan of a crape myrtle?
Crepe myrtles have a lifespan of around 25 years. However, some crepe myrtles have been known to live for 100 years or more! This tree does best in full sun and well-drained soil. It is drought-tolerant and can withstand extreme heat. If you do choose to prune your crepe myrtles, pruning should take place in mid-February to avoid winter injury. Pruning should be done only to shape the tree; not to severely control plant height. Pruning is also not necessary for blooming.Crepe myrtles have a lifespan of around 25 years. However, some crepe myrtles have been known to live for 100 years or more! This tree does best in full sun and well-drained soil. It is drought-tolerant and can withstand extreme heat.
Where should you not plant a crape myrtle?
Don’t plant Crape Myrtles in shade. Crape Myrtles perform their best in 6+ hours of blistering full sun per day. Even light shade at various times during the day will greatly reduce flowering, cause the tree to appear thin, and force it to reach for the sun, creating a leggy look. Sun: Full sun is the ideal condition, meaning it should get at least 6 hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day. Soil: Crape myrtle can grow in a variety of soils, but they prefer moist, well-drained soil. They can tolerate alkaline, dark clay soils, and once established, they can do well in dry, sandy soils.The best time to plant Crape Myrtles is late fall or early spring. Planting in the fall allows the roots to establish themselves before winter dormancy, while early spring planting takes advantage of the upcoming growing season.Grow myrtle in full sun in a west or south-facing position. It is hardy down to -10ºC if grown in a sheltered spot, or against a wall. It grows best in fertile, well-drained soil.Find a Sunny Location First, you need to decide where in your garden the crape myrtle should go. They need full sun and good air circulation for the best blooms. Six hours of sun a day is the minimum requirement. It will grow in most soil as long as there is good drainage.Most local nurseries will label their plants with this information, which is just as important as flower color and bark appearance. Crape myrtle is a low-maintenance plant needing little or no pruning if planted in full sun away from walkways and roads.