Tree · Lythraceae
Crepe Myrtle
Lagerstroemia indica
Plant it in full sun and prune with a light hand, and the crepe myrtle pours out summer flowers before peeling into gorgeous winter bark.
Full sun
Every 7–14 days
USDA 6–9
15–25 ft · 4.6–7.6 m
Overview
Few trees throw a summer party like the crepe myrtle. It launches crinkled, crepe-paper flowers from July straight into September in white, pink, lavender, and deep red, then peels its bark in winter to reveal smooth, mottled wood that looks great when everything else has gone quiet. It grows fast and tough, powering through heat, drought, and just about any soil once its roots dig in.
Hand it sun and some breathing room and watch it go. A mature tree shoots up to 15 to 25 feet tall and spreads almost as wide, which is exactly why gardeners still call it the lilac of the south, packing color into hot-summer yards where real lilacs flat-out refuse. Let it stretch into its natural shape and it practically runs itself after that.
The wild part is that the most common way to spoil one is to do too much. A crepe myrtle blooms its heart out on its own and only wants sun, good drainage, and a quick light prune now and then. Drop the heavy chopping and you get a graceful little tree full of energy instead of a knuckled stump.
Care
The short version: full sun, well-drained soil, and a deep soak only while it is young. Prune light in late winter to shape it, go easy on the nitrogen, and keep air moving through the canopy so mildew and scale never get a foothold.
Light
Drop your crepe myrtle into full sun, ideally 6 or more hours a day, and let it run. It will scrape by in a bit of shade, but it pays for it with fewer flowers and way more powdery mildew, so chase the brightest spot you have.
Water
Water a young tree regularly through its first year to push the roots down deep. After that it turns heat- and drought-tolerant and barely asks for a thing, wanting a good soak only when a long dry spell drags on. Quick rule: let the top half of the soil dry out before you water again.
Soil
This tree shrugs at soil snobbery. It powers up in clay, loam, sand, or shallow rocky ground as long as it drains, and it rolls with a wide pH range from 5.0 to 8.0, so most yards plant up just fine with no fixing.
Temperature
Crepe myrtle is a heat lover and takes summer highs up to 100°F (38°C) in stride. It is hardy down to about -9°F (-23°C), which keeps it cranking through zone 6, though a brutal winter may knock back the top and send fresh shoots blasting up from the base.
Humidity
Skip worrying about humidity, since ordinary outdoor air does the job and there is no number to chase. The real player is airflow, because still, damp air trapped in crowded branches is exactly what fires up powdery mildew and leaf spot.
Feeding
Feed in spring with a balanced fertilizer, and run a soil test first so you know what the ground actually wants. Go easy on the nitrogen, though, because piling it on pushes leafy growth and steals the flowers.
Pruning
Prune light in late winter or early spring. Snip out crossing limbs, suckers, and old seed heads, and limb up the lower branches over time to build a clean tree shape. Never top it hard, which trashes the form and forces out weak, whippy regrowth.
Repotting
Crepe myrtle is a landscape tree and rarely hangs around in a pot for long. A container-grown one needs repotting only once in a while, and the tells are roots circling the drainage holes and soil that dries out almost the second you water it.
Size & spacing
Plan on a mature tree around 15 to 25 feet (4.5 to 7.5 m) tall with a spread to match. Give it the full width to fill so air rips freely through the canopy and disease has a much harder time grabbing hold.
When to plant
Crepe myrtle thrives from zone 6 through 9 and runs hard on the warm season. Get a new tree in the ground in spring or fall so the roots dig in before the heat or cold hits, then settle in for a flower show that rolls from July through September.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Plant: spring or fall
- Harvest: July to September
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 6–9
Temperature: down to -23°C
Troubleshooting
Most crepe myrtle hiccups come from a fungus or a bug, and they pop up first on the leaves or the bark. Jump on them early and a quick fix usually keeps the tree pumping out blooms. Find the match below, then move before it races through the canopy.
White powdery film on leaves with buds stuck shut
That dusty coating is powdery mildew, a fungus that fires up in the mild, damp runs of spring and fall and can lock buds shut for good. Throw the plant open to sun and moving air, rip out the crowded basal sprouts, and only grab a labeled fungicide if it really gets away from you.
Fix:
- Site in full sun with good air circulation
- Remove basal sprouts and crowded growth to improve airflow
- Apply a labeled fungicide such as myclobutanil, propiconazole, or thiophanate-methyl if severe
Yellow spots on the leaves with a late-summer drop
Little yellow spots that crash in during warm, muggy weather flag Cercospora leaf spot, which can strip a tree bare by late summer. Keep water off the foliage, blow the canopy open for airflow, and rake up every fallen leaf so the fungus loses its winter hideout.
Fix:
- Improve air circulation and avoid wetting foliage
- Rake and remove fallen infected leaves
- Apply thiophanate-methyl or myclobutanil if needed
Felty white crusts on the bark that bleed pink
Those white, felt-like bumps crusting the trunk and limbs are crapemyrtle bark scale, and crushing one squirts a giveaway pink fluid. The bugs pump out honeydew that turns the whole tree black with sooty mold. Scrub the bark with mild soapy water and a soft brush to strip the scale and grime, then line up a systemic soil drench in spring and a dormant oil spray in late winter to smash the cycle.
Fix:
- Wash trunk and branches with mild soapy water and a soft brush to remove scale and mold
- Apply a systemic soil drench (e.g., imidacloprid) in spring per label
- Use dormant horticultural oil sprays in late winter
Sticky leaves going black with a sooty film
The sticky glaze is honeydew from crape myrtle aphids working the undersides of the leaves, and the black sooty mold is just a harmless fungus cashing in on that sugar. Blast the aphids off with a hard jet of water, hit them with insecticidal soap or neem oil, and let lady beetles and lacewings clean up. Knock the aphids back and the black film clears all on its own.
Fix:
- Spray plants with a strong stream of water to dislodge aphids
- Use insecticidal soap or horticultural/neem oil
- Encourage predators such as lady beetles and lacewings
Toxicity
Great news for the pet-and-kid crowd: crepe myrtle is safe all around. The ASPCA lists it as non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses, with zero known danger to other animals or people. The only fallout to expect is dropped petals staining a walkway or car.
Safe for
People · Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds
Cats None
The ASPCA tags crepe myrtle as non-toxic to cats, so a curious nibble on a leaf or a fallen bloom is nothing to sweat.
Dogs None
Dogs can mouth the leaves, flowers, or bark without harm. It is safe if your dog chomps a low branch, though a big helping of any plant may pass an upset stomach.
Horses None
Horses grazing near a crepe myrtle are fine. The plant is not poisonous to horses, and no special fencing is called for.
Rabbits Safe
Rabbits run no risk from the leaves or stems. The plant packs no known toxin, so a stray bite will not hurt them.
Livestock Safe
Cattle, goats, and sheep can browse around a crepe myrtle without trouble, since the foliage holds nothing toxic to them.
Birds Safe
Backyard and wild birds are in no danger here. They often pick at the seed capsules, and the plant is safe for them.
People Safe
Crepe myrtle is harmless to people, kids included. None of its parts are a known food, so there is no reason to eat it, but a tasted petal or leaf does no harm.
No special toxicity precautions are needed; fallen flowers may stain walkways or vehicles.
Varieties
Hundreds of crepe myrtles crowd the market, but the ones worth chasing are the disease-resistant hybrids. These four keep earning their spot in great gardens.
Natchez
A powerhouse indica and fauriei hybrid that rockets to about 30 feet, loaded with white flowers, cinnamon-brown bark that peels in winter, and strong resistance to powdery mildew.
Muskogee
An indica and fauriei hybrid that tops 20 feet, a favorite for light lavender flowers, a long bloom season, and good mildew resistance.
Tuscarora
An indica and fauriei hybrid that fires off coral-pink to dark pink flowers, backed by solid resistance to both powdery mildew and Cercospora leaf spot.
Sioux
A mildew-resistant indica and fauriei hybrid that follows bright pink summer flowers with knockout red-purple color in fall.
How to propagate
Crepe myrtle multiplies in several fun ways, and which you grab depends on one call: an exact clone of a named tree, or a roll of the dice with something new.
Stem cuttingsEasy
Softwood cuttings in late spring to summer; hardwood cuttings in winter · 4 to 8 weeks to root
Cuttings are the surest way to clone a named tree, since the new plant grows up a dead ringer for its parent. Snip softwood cuttings in late spring or summer, or hardwood cuttings over winter, and watch for roots in 4 to 8 weeks.
SeedModerate
Collect ripe seed in fall and sow · One or more seasons
Feel like gambling? Collect the ripe seed capsules in fall and sow them, but know the seedlings come up variable and will not match a named tree. Pack some patience too, since a seed-grown plant needs a season or more to really get going.
LayeringModerate
Growing season · Several months
Spot a branch sitting low? Pin it to the ground during the growing season and let it root right in place. Layering takes several months, then you cut the new plant free from its parent and you are off.
Myths
Crepe myrtles need a hard yearly chop, the so-called crepe murder, to bloom well.
Topping a crepe myrtle does absolutely nothing for its flowers and piles damage onto its shape. The tree already blooms heavily on its own, while severe cuts wreck the graceful form and fire out weak, whippy regrowth. One light shaping in late winter is every bit of pruning it ever needs.