Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia) trees are small deciduous trees perfect for patio, courtyard, or street.  All can bloom all summer and most have colorful fall foliage.  Mature plants with their marble-like exfoliating bark and exquisite branching become beautiful pieces of garden sculpture in winter after their leaves drop. 

       Crape Myrtle trees can become infected with Mildew disease.  As with Roses, there are a number of highly mildew resistant varieties.  Here are my picks:

WHITE FLOWERS  Natchez has been the best performer with  burgundy-red fall foliage and beautiful cinnamon bark.  Sarah’s Favorite is new but may be superior. 

PURPLE FLOWERS  Catawba is the only truly purple variety.  Most years it can pick up some mildew.  Zuni is nearly mildew free but is lavender. 

PINK FLOWERS  Muskogee has been our best seller with lilac pink flowers, screaming scarlet fall foliage, and not a trace of mildew.  Sioux has a true, rich warm pink flowers, good fall color and no mildew, so far. 

RED FLOWERS  Dynamite has the only true red flower color I’ve seen with red fall foliage and little mildew.  Last year it was our best selling variety.  Dynamite is still new with few large specimens available anywhere. 

       I have seen Carpe Myrtle trees grow 4’+ per year when grown under ideal conditions.  Unfortunately, as with most plants, none of our wholesale suppliers use ideal (permanent and stable) soil.  I’ve seen many recently installed trees with brown-edged leaves, minimal new growth and little or no flowering.  These are all symptoms of “soil” (that came with the plant) that has lost its porosity.  If the surrounding bed has decent soil the tree should eventually recover.