Plant Database

Other Names:  Crape Myrtle, Crepe Myrtle

Description:

This stunning ornamental shrub or small tree produces volumes of pale pink and white blooms in summer, followed by orange-red fall foliage; captivating focal point for the garden or border; also good for container planting

Ornamental Features

Near East Crapemyrtle is clothed in stunning panicles of shell pink frilly flowers with white overtones at the ends of the branches from early to late summer. It has attractive dark green deciduous foliage which emerges coppery-bronze in spring. The oval leaves are highly ornamental and turn red in fall.

Landscape Attributes

Near East Crapemyrtle is a dense multi-stemmed deciduous tree with a more or less rounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Near East Crapemyrtle is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Near East Crapemyrtle will grow to be about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 3 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This tree does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is very fussy about its soil conditions and must have rich, acidic soils to ensure success, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.