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  • Crape Myrtle Tree Guide 2026

Crape Myrtle Trees That Bloom All Summer Long

A crape myrtle tree in full bloom is one of the hardest things to walk past without stopping. Up to 120 days of flowers, exfoliating bark that looks good in winter, and fall color that rivals maples — all from a tree that thrives in heat that would kill most ornamentals. Pick the right variety for your space and zone, and it takes care of itself.

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Crepe Myrtle Care By Zoned Garden
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Crepe Myrtle or Crape Myrtle

​​Crepe Myrtle or Crape Myrtle: Which Spelling Actually Right?

You’re typing an email to your landscaper and you stop. Is it crepe myrtle or crape myrtle? You’ve seen both spellings everywhere. Garden centers use one. Your neighbor uses the other. And you’re sitting there wondering if one is wrong. I’ve had this exact moment. Send texts with both spellings in the same conversation. It felt ridiculous. So I dug into this question because it was driving me nuts, and here’s what actually matters about crape myrtle pronunciation and the crepe myrtle or crape myrtle spelling. The Truth About Both Spellings Both are correct. Period. Crepe myrtle or crape myrtle—either

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ALL CRAPE MYRTLE TREES
 
Choose by Size

The 4 Crape Myrtle Size Classes

Size is the most important decision you make when buying a crape myrtle. Plant a 25-foot tree in a 6-foot gap and you will be hacking it every February for the rest of its life. Get the size right and the tree never needs heavy pruning.

Dwarf — 2 to 4 ft (0.6–1.2 m)

Works in containers, low borders, and tight foundation beds. Full flower show from a plant that fits on a patio. No pruning required at maturity.
Best examples: Pocomoke, Chickasaw, Chica Red

Semi-Dwarf — 4 to 8 ft (1.2–2.4 m)

Large enough to use as a privacy screen or anchor shrub in a mixed border. Sits comfortably under utility lines without annual intervention.
Best examples: Acoma, Hopi, Zuni, Tonto

Medium — 8 to 15 ft (2.4–4.6 m)

The most planted size class in US residential gardens. Delivers a full tree silhouette with the 120-day bloom season visible from the street.
Best examples:Tuscarora, Sioux, Lipan, Comanche

Large Tree — 15 to 30 ft (4.6–9 m)

Specimen tree, street tree, or large-scale landscape anchor. Provides 4-season interest: flowers, fall color, exfoliating bark, and strong winter silhouette.
Best examples:Natchez, Muskogee, Basham's Party Pink, Centennial Spirit

Lagerstroemia indica

The species behind nearly every named variety sold in US nurseries. Native to China and India — adapted over centuries to hot summers and mild winters.
Best examples: Bloom: June–September

Lagerstroemia fauriei

Japanese crape myrtle — the disease-resistant parent species used in National Arboretum breeding programs. Passes mildew resistance and exceptional bark to its hybrids.
Best examples: Key trait: mildew and disease resistance

Find Your Variety in 30 Seconds

Match your landscaping goal to the right crape myrtle — sorted by use case, not just color.

Landscaping Goal Best Variety Mature Height Zones Bloom Color
Container or patio Pocomoke 2–3 ft (0.6–0.9 m) 6–9 Deep pink
Low border planting Chickasaw 2–4 ft (0.6–1.2 m) 7–9 Lavender-pink
Privacy hedge Acoma 6–10 ft (1.8–3 m) 6–9 White
Compact specimen (red) Tonto 8–10 ft (2.4–3 m) 6–9 Fuchsia-red
Specimen tree (white) Natchez 25–30 ft (7.6–9 m) 6–9 White
Specimen tree (pink) Tuscarora 15–20 ft (4.6–6 m) 7–9 Coral pink
Narrow upright space Centennial Spirit 18–20 ft (5.5–6 m) 6–9 Deep red
Cold-hardiest choice Catawba 10–12 ft (3–3.7 m) 6–9 Dark purple
Fastest growth Basham's Party Pink 20–30 ft (6–9 m) 7–10 Lavender-pink
Mildew resistance Natchez or Acoma Varies 6–9 White

Best Time to Plant a Crape Myrtle — By Season

Planting time affects how fast the tree establishes and how much watering it needs in year one. Get this right and the tree roots deeply before its first summer stress.

Spring

Best planting window for zones 6–7. Plant after the last frost when soil reaches 60°F (15°C). Water deeply twice a week for the first 8 weeks to push roots down before summer heat arrives.

Summer

Plant container trees in early summer only. Mid-to-late summer planting in zones 7+ stresses the tree before dormancy. If you plant in summer, mulch 3 inches (7.6 cm) deep to hold soil moisture.

Fall

Excellent window for zones 7–11. Cooler air reduces transplant stress while warm soil promotes root development. Plant at least 6 weeks before your first expected hard frost.

Winter

Plant only in zones 9–11 where soil stays frost-free. In zones 6–8, wait for spring. Bare-root trees from specialist nurseries go in during late winter dormancy in zone 7+.

Crape Myrtle Care Essentials

3 Things That Keep a Crape Myrtle Healthy for Decades

Most crape myrtle problems come from 3 mistakes: topping, overwatering in year one, and ignoring powdery mildew until it spreads. Fix these and the tree manages itself for the next 50 years.

Pruning

Late winter only — remove dead wood, nothing more

Crape myrtle blooms on new wood each year. Prune in late winter before buds break — February to March in most zones. Remove crossing branches, base suckers, and stems thinner than a pencil. Never cut main trunks to stubs. Topping destroys the tree's natural vase form permanently and forces weak sucker regrowth for years. If the tree fits the space, it needs no annual cutting at all.

Watering

Deep twice a week — never a little every day

New crape myrtles need deep watering twice weekly through the first full growing season. After 12–18 months the tree is drought-tolerant and only needs water during dry stretches longer than 4 weeks. Daily shallow watering produces surface roots that dry out in drought and create crown rot conditions. One deep soak every 3–4 days is worth more than daily sprinkles every time.

Disease Control

Powdery mildew: prevention beats treatment

Powdery mildew (white powder on leaves) hits trees with poor air circulation in humid climates. Plant resistant varieties — Natchez, Acoma, and fauriei hybrids resist mildew without any spray program. If mildew appears on a susceptible variety, apply neem oil at 2 tbsp per gallon (30 ml per 3.8 L) of water every 10–14 days. Space trees at their full mature width from day one. Crowded trees never recover good air circulation.