With its delicate thin petals that form large blooms in white, pink, red or purple, lush green leaves that form a thick canopy of foliage and smooth, exfoliating bark, it is easy to see why the crape myrtle is one of the favorite landscape plants in the South.

Crape myrtles prefer full sun, thrive in the heat and are drought-tolerant once established, making them perfect plants for Waco and most of Texas.

Crape myrtles prefer full sun, thrive in the heat and are drought-tolerant once established, making them perfect plants for Waco and most of Texas.

Native to China and Korea, the crape myrtle was introduced to the United States more than 200 years ago. Many specimens 100 years and older can be found in historic landscapes from the Atlantic Coast to Texas.

There are more than 50 species of crape myrtle but two species make up most of our cultivated types; L. indica and L. fauriel. Varieties in the L. fauriel species tend to be resistant to powdery mildew and most bear the names of Native American tribes.

When choosing a crape myrtle for your landscape, it is very important to choose your location first and determine what size specimen you have room for.

For a flower bed near the house consider a weeping or dwarf variety.

Choose a small tree form (10 to 20 feet) or a large tree form (20 to 40 feet) for a location farther from the house.

There is a wealth of information on the internet to help you with varieties and you can ask your nursery professional for advice. If you can’t find a certain variety you want, a nursery can order it for you

Severe topping of crape myrtles is ugly, unnecessary and damages the tree.
Susan Crawford photo

Crape myrtles usually begin blooming in June and July, depending on variety, and continue blooming into the fall. Most of them develop beautiful fall color before losing their leaves for the winter.

Summer is a good time to purchase and plant crape myrtles so you can see the blooms and pick the color you want. Just remember that a newly planted shrub or tree will need regular watering the first year, especially during the summer.

All crape myrtles are shrubs by nature. If you buy a tree form it will have three or more trunks and other shoots will be trimmed off at the bottom. When new shoots try to grow from the bottom each spring, just prune them away.

In winter you should trim any broken limbs or crossing limbs. Very minimal pruning is needed; do not top any crape myrtle. It is common all over the Waco area, but it is totally unnecessary and ruins the shape of your tree. The topped tree will grow many weak little branches from the stubs. These branches cannot support the flowers that grow on them. The trees will never really recover from being topped.

The crape myrtle has few pests or other problems. Treat it right and it will be beautiful in your landscape for years to come.

For more information on crape myrtles, go to www.aggie-horticulture.edu and search crape myrtles.