These are crepe myrtle hybrids ‘indica’. They are 15 years old and I never need to trim to get blooms or worry about feeder limbs poppin up everywhere. Just trim off spent blooms for next season and they bloom on new wood. They like the hot reflective heat in summer’s and well drained soil they don’t like soggy feet. They are a smaller version of the larger crepe myrtle tree but light airy limbs easy to maintain. They can be trained as a small tree or a small tall wispy shade tree.
Those are lovely, Pac. Something I've never grown. However, my grandfather's sister was named Myrtle.
Thank you Daniel always have such nice things to say. Try a crepe myrtle some time they always bloom july thru oct. The last comment for some reason grandfather’s sister’s name ‘Myrtle’… I found worth a giggle.
A Myrtle is something I have always heard of but never seen in bloom. Gosh, they are remarkable. I have seen them clipped as a sort of hedge in the Alhambra in Granada where I lived for a year. In what part of the Alhambra, you ask? — Why, the Court of the Myrtles, of course. It has a water feature in the centre and that is surrounded by a Myrtle hedge. Well, but your Myrtles— they are spectacular. So nice for me to see. I suspect that they may not grow in our wet and cool climate. Thank you for showing this.
Thank you for sharing info on myrtles. Lovely complements from you is always meaningful and uplifting. Wow …The court of Myrtles ? Really… I thought you were joking at first . I can just picture hedges full of crepe myrtle blooms… OK you did it again… ignited my curiosity …I looked that place up. It literally is a beautiful Palace with myrtle shrubs poised around a huge marble water feature . The myrtle blooms mirrored in the water reflect the flowers as a glorious picturesque painting worthy of a Van Gogh. Now there’s a thought to imitate a smaller version in the home garden. We also have a very Wet and cool climate here too. My garden is in USDA zone 8b. The Netherlands is located in USDA Hardiness Zone 7-8, characterized cool winters and cool summers. However since climate change they still are doing great. I bet you could grow myrtle’s as a hedge or as a small tree . We get snow , ice storms and wind storms that will knock your socks off. In many cases that cold weather is what helps set buds on many trees and shrubs. Lagerstromeria faurei is more cold hardy and this characteristic was transferred to the many L. indica x L. faurei cultivars . These are the cultivars I grow in my small tree collection.
Pac—Chuckle. Sorry for creating a knowledge itch. The whole Alhambra complex is filled with palaces, baths, interesting water features and gardens. Oh yes, gardens. The Generalife, a partitioned group of gardens with trained cypresses maintained to look like walls with arches. When I lived there I visited the Alhambra every sunday. As a card carrying resident, I could go in for free. It was a wonderful year.
Sjoerd It’s places like the Myrtle Palace that once we have the opportunity to visit that leaves a once in a life time memory.
Our crepe myrtles are trained as small trees. They were here when we moved, and I'm of the "if it blooms it stays" school of thought. We have a huge white one in the barn lot,about 18' tall. That one was a shrub, but in two years was a tree. Careful pruning! Pac, your myrtles are gorgeous and obviously well tended.
Gorgeous!! I just checked the hardiness zone for Crepe Myrtle and discovered zones 6-9. Pity, I'm in zone 5
Marlin beautiful crepe myrtle. Sorry Netty … sometimes I can cheat a little by putting a zone envy plant in a planter in a protected area. I keep them in planters and move them in the garage during winters.
That is a nice-looking tree, Marlin. I like the form of your tree. Is pink the only colour your trees come in?
@Sjoerd if interested here’s a complete list of crepe myrtles and varieties. Large to dwarfs. https://crapemyrtletrails.org/varieties/complete-list-crape-myrtle/ colors and varieties.
Pac—Wouldja lookit that ! Thanks for the info Pac. I had no idea. The lists on the link surprised me even more. Wow! If I had the room in my little allotment, I would certainly go look for one.
