Lagerstroemia indica, crape myrtle
/By Hope Smith (2020)
Lagerstroemia indica − better known as the Indian crape myrtle, crape myrtle, crapemyrtle, or crepe myrtle – is a common tree or shrub found in landscapes across the United States. It is a member of the family Lythraceae, also known as the Loosestrife family, alongside Lythrum, Cuphea, and Punica granatum or pomegranates. The common name ‘crepe’ or ‘crape’ comes from the crepe-like texture and appearance of its flowers and although crepes are normally golden brown, the long-lasting flowers on L. indica come in multiple shades of pink, purple, red, and white.
L. indica is native to Asia and was first introduced into American and European gardens and landscapes in 1759. It was recorded in the Caribbean for the first time in 1881 on the island of Puerto Rico, and promptly spread to eleven other Caribbean islands prior to 1920. A breeding program for L. indica began at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington D.C. in 1962, and they have since released over 24 cultivars that were bred for disease resistance and various other visual characteristics such as autumn foliage color (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodríguez, 2014).
L. indica ‘Center Stage Red’ in bloom with visible fruits/capsules.
L. indica do well in hardiness zones 7 through 9A, and they are commonly used to spruce up parking lot barriers and road medians due to their durability, drought tolerance and apparent resistance to air pollution in larger urban areas (Gilman and Watson, 1993). Their resistance to drought and soil compaction paired with their long-lasting, beautifully colored blooms throughout the spring and summer have made them a staple for landscapers across Texas, specifically in suburban neighborhoods and other populated areas that don’t have a lot of open space but still need some color.
L. indica can usually be identified first and foremost by its colorful, hermaphroditic flowers which are produced in either axillary or terminal panicles (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodríguez, 2014). They usually flower throughout the spring and summer and will produce blooms for around 3-4 months. After flowering, L. indica will produce small, ovoid capsules that reach under half an inch in length and once dry they will turn brown, split into 6 sections, and typically stay attached to the tree throughout the winter (Gilman and Watson, 1993; Seiler et al., 2019).
L. indica foliage.
L. indica can also be identified by its opposite or subopposite foliage and its simple, elliptic/obovate leaves that have pinnate venation. The leaves typically reach about two inches in length and are green for most of the year, but turn red, orange, and yellow during the fall. The color of new growth on L. indica is green or brown, and these new stems and branches will harden up throughout the following year. The bark on L. indica is exfoliating and sheds layers of grayish-tan bark to reveal red-brown toned bark underneath, but it is also very thin and easily damageable (Gilman and Watson, 1993; Seiler et al., 2019).
L. indica grown/trained into a small shrub.
The dimensions of L. indica can range anywhere from 10ft-30ft in height with a 15ft-25ft overall spread depending on whether it is grown as a shrub or a tree. It is commonly grown with multiple trunks, but it can also be trained to grow with a singular trunk. L. indica also has a drooping habit that can be problematic if the plant is being grown along walkways or roads, but this can be easily fixed and maintained with consistent pruning (Gilman and Watson, 1993).
Works Cited
Rojas-Sandoval J; Acevedo-Rodríguez P, 2014. Lagerstroemia indica (Indian crape myrtle)., CABI: Invasive Species Compendium. https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/29669
Gilman E; Watson D, 1993. Lagerstroemia indica Crape-Myrtle., USA: United States Forest Service, Department of Agriculture Fact Sheet ST-342:1-2. http://hort.ufl.edu/trees/LAGINDA.pdf
Seiler J; Jensen E; Niemiera A; Peterson J, 2019. Virginia Tech Dendrology: crapemyrtle., Virginia, USA: Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation. http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=213#:~:text=Fruit%3A%20Dry%2C%206%2Dparted,brown%20and%20green%2C%20very%20attractive.
