September 16, 2005
Crape Myrtle
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Anyone who has visited a southern city in the late summer has probably admired the Crape Myrtle tree (Lagerstroemia indica), sometimes called the lilac of the South. It's ubiquitous in southern landscapes-and for good reason. A graceful small multistem tree or shrub of Chinese and Korean origin, it has grey or cinnamon colored exfoliating bark and large pink, white or lavender flowers. The Crape Myrtle's greatest virtue however, is that it blooms in late summer when there are few other flowering trees. It is naturally hardy to Zone 7 and until recently rarely seen north of Baltimore (a large specimen in the very protected Garden of St. Luke's in the Fields in Greenwich Village is a notable exception). Recent efforts in plant breeding have produced specimens that will survive winter in New York City and we are seeing more and more of their delicate, crinkly blossoms around town. There is a nice dark pink multistem number in the center of the South garden of Central Park's Conservatory Garden,
So if you have seen a handsome shrub or small tree that you can’t quite identify this summer, if it has showy panicles of crepe paper-like petals and really attractive exfoliating bark, it is probably a crape myrtle - soon to be known as the lilac from the South.
Posted by gardenguidenyc at 11:26 AM | Comments (0)