Southern beauties

LITTLE ROCK — Few plants are as connected with the South as crape myrtles. These plants thrive in heat and humidity and have the potential to bloom all summer with relatively little care.

Lagerstroemia indica, or as most know it, the common crape myrtle, was introduced to the North American British Colonies from China and Korea in 1747. Widespread cultivation of the plants started in Charleston, S.C., in 1786.

Today, through hybridization and plant breeding, the family of crape myrtles includes a diverse mix of varieties, from ground cover forms that are no taller than 8 to 10 inches to standard versions that can grow 30 feet tall and more. Flower colors now include red, pink, purple and white. They are a staple in Arkansas landscapes.

The common crape myrtlewas long entrenched in Southern landscapes by the time the Japanese crape myrtle, Lagerstroemia faurei, was brought to the United States in the 1950s.

This cold-hardy crape myrtle has beautiful red bark and is resistant to powdery mildew - a disease common among other types of crape myrtles.

MORE COLORS DEVELOPED

The only downside to the new introduction was that it only came in one color - white. Don Egolf, a plant breeder extraordinaire at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington until his untimely death in 1990, began an extensive breeding program of crape myrtles, crossing the Japanese version with the Chinese-Korean. His goal was to combine the beautiful bark color, cold-weather hardiness and the disease resistance of the Japanese crape myrtle with the variety of flower colors of the common crape myrtle.

Egolf made thousands of crosses between the two species and came up with many new forms. Thanks to these efforts, the national arboretum has released more than 29 versions to the nursery trade.

The University of Arkansas also has released several varieties, including Centennial, Hope and Victor. The most popular variety of Egolf ’s trials was Natchez.This standard crape myrtle can grow 30 feet tall or more and has an outstanding cinnamon-colored bark with white flowers.

The first true miniature, called Chickasaw, was developed at the national arboretum in 1989. This pink-flowering plant grows no taller than 20 inches and spreads 26 inches wide.

Today, new varieties and forms of crape myrtles hit themarket annually, so many that trying to keep up with what is available can be difficult. The national arboretum has compiled a chart as a quick guide to differences between the 29 crape myrtles it has released, including descriptions of flower color, bark color, fall color, plant size, and growth habits. You can view it at: usna.usda.gov/PhotoGal lery/CrapemyrtleGallery/ CrapeTable.html. You can also click on usna.usda.gov/graphics/usna/Newin tro/USNA_CrapeMyrtle Poster.pdf to see a poster showing the arboretum’s crape-myrtle introductions.

The University of Arkansas Extension Service’s website also has a reference guide to varieties of all sizes, shapes and colors that can help you choose the right plant for your landscape. Go to aragri culture.org/horticulture/ ornamentals/crapemyrtle/ pdf/detail_all.pdf.

CRAPE MURDER

While crape myrtles are easy to grow, they do have their problems. No. 1 is the gardener in charge of pruning them. “Crape murder” is a common refrain, and visible signs of this dot our landscapes, most commonly seen when the plants are devoid of leaves.

Cutting standard, large growing forms back to large knobby growths in the winter, year after year, is a common practice gardeners use to keep the plants the size they want them.

If the plant is getting too tall each year, and you have to prune it to keep it out of the eaves of your house, then you planted the wrong variety. With proper selection, you can choose plants that fit the size you need at maturity. Otherwise, trying to tame a tree into a shrub is a constant battle with ugly results - at least in winter.

When choosing plants, you really should read the tag and determine how tall the plant is predicted to reach at maturity. Choosing a plant that fits your location can also greatly reduce maintenance and result in a better-looking specimen.

So what is the problem with heavy annual pruning? Luckily for crape myrtles, it doesn’t seem to cause any harm, because they bounce back annually from such devastating haircuts.

But severe pruning actually encourages faster new growth, giving you plenty of dense foliage.

So instead of having three to five main trunks with beautiful exfoliating bark, you typically end up with five or six sprouts on each trunk and the plant becoming a large shrub instead of a stately small tree.

And if you have an older variety that is susceptible to powdery mildew, all of that dense growth can increase its chance of developing the disease, and with greater severity.

TOO MUCH FOLIAGE

That’s because masses of foliage reduce air flow and keep the humidity level higher inside the plant, leading to more disease.

Rapid new growth also produces large flower heads. While that may seem like a benefit to hard pruning, the larger flower heads are borne on tender, weak stems that can’t support the weight of the bloom, so you end up with weeping crape myrtles instead of upright plants.

Crape myrtles thrive in full sun. They will live in the shade, but don’t expect flowers. They are very drought tolerant once established, but will do well with a little extra water if it gets dry. They are not heavy feeders.

Don’t be alarmed if the bark of your plants starts peeling. This is a sign that your plant has come of age. The peeling outer bark showcases beautiful rich red, tan or gray wood. Once you do have large, established forms, annual pruning is not needed, although thinning or removal of suckers is advisable. If you allow the suckers to grow at the base, you will lose the tree’s form.

Don’t use herbicides to control these suckers; just prune them off. If you can reach the flower heads as they fade, deadheading during the summer - removing the spent flowers - will encourage even more flowers on your trees.

Aphids tend to attack crape myrtles when it is hot and dry. These insects suck sap out of the leaves and excrete a sweet substance called honeydew.

Anywhere the honeydew falls on the leaves, a black sooty mold will form. While it can detract from the overall beauty of the plants, it doesn’t hurt them. A strong spray of water or insecticidal soap can help to control the insects.

If you are looking for a tough performer in a hot, sunny landscape, look no further than crape myrtles. Choose a plant that fits the size you need at maturity.

You might be surprised to know that the Arkansas champion crape myrtle is located in the front yard of a home in Pulaski County, and is 43 feet tall with a 47-foot spread - so be aware that some species can get large.

With proper selection and location, crape myrtles give you beautiful flowers in the summer, outstanding fall foliage and beautiful bark in the winter.