CRAPE MYRTLE

4711 Johnson Ave.

Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)

Lagerstroemia indica, commonly known as crape myrtle, is a species in the genus Lagerstroemia in the family Lythraceae, which is native to the Indian Subcontinent (hence the name indica), and also to Southeast Asia, China, Korea and Japan. It is an often multi-stemmed, deciduous tree with a wide spreading, flat topped, rounded or even spike shaped open habit. Planted in full sun or under canopy, the crape myrtle is a popular nesting shrub for songbirds and wrens.

Fortunately, this fine specimen has escaped what is colloquially known as “crape murder”, the drastic pruning many gardeners perform in winter and early spring, lopping off the branches to manage size and encourage more profuse summer bloom. Tree topping of crape myrtles is a common occurrence but is not recommended nor endorsed by many professional standards or arboricultural organizations.