How tall do dwarf crape myrtle trees get?
Dwarf Crape Myrtles: These compact beauties usually reach heights between 3′-8′. They are great for borders, hedges, as accent plants in the garden, and they don’t get too tall to be planted close to a standard eave. Dwarf Crape Myrtles Space them 4′-6′ apart for a thick, hedge like appearance. For a more individual plant look, plant them 8′-10′ apart.Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia) is often celebrated as the quintessential plant for gardeners in warmer climates, especially throughout the Southern United States. Its lush foliage, long blooming season, and striking bark textures have made it a favorite among homeowners and landscape designers alike.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!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.
How big does a dwarf myrtle get?
The dwarf myrtle slowly grows into a medium size evergreen shrub up to 5-8 ft. It is one of the most popular and well adapted plants for clipped hedge and topiary uses. Foliage is comprised of 1-2 in. If your dwarf crape myrtle is young and sparsely branched, with maybe just a few widely spaced stems/branches, you might want to give it a pruning to make it grow more dense. If so, use a pair of bypass hand pruners to cut these long branches back by one-quarter to half their height.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.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.Dwarf plants are effective as large groundcovers, perennial bedding plants or container plants. Tree-size crape myrtles grow more than 12′ tall in ten years. Semi-dwarf crape myrtles grow between 4′ and 12′ tall in ten years, and dwarf crape myrtles generally stay shorter than 4′, at least during the first five years.
Where not to plant crepe 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. Choosing a Planting Location Crape Myrtle Trees need plenty of sun, so choose a bright sunny spot for your planting. They are idea for those hot, dry places where other plants do not thrive, so take advantage of that and use them in places that can be hard to fill.Do not plant crape myrtle under the shade of large, overhanging trees. Crape myrtle needs around 6 hours of sunlight per day for best flowering. Additionally, too much shade can lead to issues like powdery mildew and other diseases.Once established, myrtle is drought tolerant, making it a low-maintenance plant for a border.Crape myrtles planted in winter, spring, and fall should manage well with just one deep watering per week, but if you choose to plant in summer, you may need to add an extra weekly watering if there are heatwave or drought conditions.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.
Can crepe myrtles 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. 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.They make an excellent specimen tree which can be grown both in the garden or in a large pot. They can be grown as a hedge to line your front yard or used as a border, along a fence line or as a street plant. Crepe Myrtles are bee and bird attracting.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.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.
What is the controversy with crape myrtles?
Another controversy surrounding crape myrtles is that they are not native to the United States. They are actually native to China and other Asian countries. These trees first made their way to England and from there to the United States by way of Charleston, South Carolina, in 1786. 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.Winter reveals a Crape Myrtle’s sculptural trunks and branches. Some are lustrous and smooth. Some peel back to reveal layers of mottled color.Daylilies and Coreopsis thrive with Crape Myrtle, attracting pollinators and enhancing beauty. Lavender repels pests while adding fragrance, making it a perfect companion plant. Ornamental grasses provide texture and seasonal interest, complementing Crape Myrtle’s compact growth.With their vivid summer blooms, attractive bark, and graceful form, they bring structure, colour, and beauty to any outdoor space. But many gardeners are surprised to learn one key fact about them: Yes — Crepe Myrtles are deciduous and will lose their leaves in winter.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.
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. 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!