Common Crape Myrtle

Crape myrtle is the small tree that delivers the longest summer flowering display in the deciduous palette, six to eight weeks of crinkled, crepe-paper flowers in white, pink, lavender, purple, or red from July through September. In the South, where it is the signature summer-flowering tree, it thrives in the heat and humidity. In Western Washington, it occupies a different position: a heat-dependent ornamental that works only in the warmest microclimates and demands careful cultivar selection to perform at all. Native to China and Korea.

The key to crape myrtle in Western Washington is site and selection. Full sun against a south-facing wall, reflected heat from pavement, and a cultivar that blooms early enough to finish before fall arrives. 'Natchez' (white) and 'Tuscarora' (coral pink) are among the more reliable selections in this climate. In cool summers, flowers may be sparse or late. Several diseases are tracked, including powdery mildew, which was historically the major problem until mildew-resistant cultivars became available. Do not commit crape murder, the practice of butchering the branch structure by topping it each winter. If you need to prune, remove crossing branches and thin for structure. For a summer-flowering tree in a warm microclimate, crape myrtle can work here, but it is not a sure thing the way it is in the Southeast.