Lagerstroemia Indica, Crape Myrtle Plant

Description

Lagerstroemia Indica, Crape Myrtle Plant

Common name: White Crape Myrtle, Leza

Botanical name: Lagerstroemia tomentosa

Lagerstroemia indica (Crape myrtle, Crepe myrtle) is a species in the genus Lagerstroemia in the family Lythraceae.

From China, Korea, Japan and Indian Subcontinent Lagerstroemia indica is an often multistemmed, deciduous tree with a wide spreading, flat topped, rounded, or even spike shaped open habit. Planted in full sun or under canopy, the tree is a popular nesting shrub for songbirds and wrens.

The bark is a prominent feature being smooth, pinkinsh-gray and mottled, shedding each year. Leaves also shed each winter, after spectacular color display, and bare branches re-leaf early in the spring; leaves are small, smooth -edged, circular or oval -shaped, and dark green changing to yellow and orange and red in autumn.

Planting And Care

If the plant leaves are looking pale it may be due to the lack of light but will quickly begin to turn green or reddish-green once exposed to the sun. Any pruning is best carried out in the spring in order to encourage new growth.

Lagerstroemia Indica Care

Ideally, crape myrtles should be planted in spring so they have plenty of time to get established before the winter but in warmer areas this is not essential. At the time of planting, plenty of compost and bone or blood meal should be incorporated into the soil to give the plant a good start, and afterwards the area around the plant should receive a good layer of leaf mulch or wood chips to preserve moisture and to prevent extreme fluctuations in soil temperature.

Ornamental Use: