Lagerstroemia indica aka Crapemyrtle

Crape myrtle, Lagerstroemia indica, is a deciduous tree or large shrub in the loosestrife family, Lythraceae. Its range runs from the Himalaya through southern China into Indo-China. Some sources also list Taiwan, Korea and Japan. Gardeners grow it widely, from warm temperate regions to the tropics. Other common names include crepe myrtle, crepe flower and lilac of the South.

In gardens it forms an upright, vase-shaped plant, often with several trunks. Most tree forms reach 20 to 25 feet (6 to 7.5 m). Recorded heights run from about 10 feet (3 m) to 30 feet (9 m), and spread reaches about 25 feet (7.5 m). Dwarf selections stay far smaller. The thin bark peels away in patches. It reveals smooth tan, grey, green and reddish-brown tones that give interest through winter. Young stems are slender, almost square and ridged.

The simple leaves are 1 to 3 inches long, glossy and smooth-edged. They open bronze or tinged red, then turn dark green by summer. In autumn they colour yellow, orange or red. The flowers have six ruffled, clawed petals that resemble crepe paper. They sit in large terminal panicles, 6 to 18 inches long, on the current year's shoots. The wild type flowers rose to red. Cultivars come in white, pink, lavender, purple and deep red. Flowering runs from July to September in most areas. Small brown capsules follow and stay on the plant through winter. They split into six parts to release winged seeds.

Plant crape myrtle in full sun and well-drained soil. It grows well in clay, sand, loam, chalk, and acid or alkaline ground. Once established it copes with drought, urban pollution and some salt spray. Shade and damp leaves encourage powdery mildew. In cool summers it may flower late or not at all. US sources rate it for zones 6 to 9, with top growth often damaged in zones 5 and 6. The RHS rates it H3 in Britain. There it needs a warm, sheltered wall or a cool greenhouse in winter. Prune in late winter or early spring, before new growth starts. Topping spoils the branch structure and can trigger suckers at the base.

The plant suits use as a specimen, a group planting, an informal hedge or a street tree. It also works in containers, parking-lot islands and small urban beds. Butterflies and other pollinators visit the flowers, and deer leave it alone. The fallen blooms can stain paving and car paint. In its native range people harvest it for medicine and for hard, useful timber.

Powdery mildew and leaf spot are the main diseases. Aphids, scale insects and flea beetles also attack it. Crape myrtle bark scale has become a serious pest in parts of the United States. Alkaline soil can cause yellowing leaves. Under glass, red spider mite and whitefly may appear. Many newer cultivars resist mildew and aphids. The ASPCA lists the plant as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. No edible uses are recorded.