Crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia spp.) are enticing decorative shrubs with elegant, colourful, and aromatic flowers. These beautiful vegetation are additionally recognized for his or her beautiful leaves and delightful peeling bark. On this article, we’ll discover out whether or not crape myrtles are evergreen.
Are Crape Myrtles Evergreen?
Most crape myrtles are deciduous, particularly the favored varieties such because the widespread crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica). Just a few wild species are evergreen, however a lot of the genus is deciduous. Deciduous shrubs lose their leaves throughout the winter earlier than rising them again the following season.
The Life Cycle of Crape Myrtles
Crape myrtles are native to components of Asia, Australia, and the Indian Subcontinent. They’re additionally naturalized throughout the US, significantly within the South in USDA Zones 6 to 9.
Crape myrtles develop as deciduous shrubs or small bushes. They develop between 20 and 30 ft tall and about 10 to fifteen ft huge. Crape myrtles are fast-growing vegetation that improve in measurement by roughly 2 to three ft annually in ideally suited situations.
Crape myrtles lose all their leaves and go dormant over the winter. In spring, the plant turns into lively once more and regrows its leaves.
When Are Crape Myrtles In Season?
Crape myrtles flower from summer time till fall, producing plenty of chic, crepe-like flowers. These blooms are available in shades of purple, pink, crimson, and white. In the course of the fall, crape myrtle leaves change colour, producing enticing shades of yellow and crimson.
As soon as the flowers end and the leaves have dropped, the primary characteristic of a crape myrtle turns into its enticing bark. Mature crape myrtle vegetation show stunning peeling bark throughout the winter. The peeling bark creates shades of cream, white, grey, brown, and crimson.
How Lengthy Do Crape Myrtles Final?
Most crape myrtles vegetation reside for about 25 to 50 years, though some specimens reside for nearly a century. Deciduous bushes usually reside for a number of many years, whereas evergreen vegetation can reside for lots of of years. Crape myrtles might also have a shorter lifespan because of their quick development price.
Crape myrtles can take a number of years to succeed in maturity. Most crape myrtles take 5 to 10 years to develop to their full peak. Crape myrtles additionally take a number of years to turn out to be well-established. Established crape myrtles require much less upkeep than newly planted specimens.
Easy methods to Care For Crape Myrtle
Rising Surroundings
Crape myrtles thrive in Zones 6 to 9 and require sheltered areas to guard them from sturdy winds. Most crape myrtles can survive winter temperatures as little as -5ºF. In colder climates, develop crape myrtles in containers and shield them by wrapping them in fleece or bringing them indoors.
Daylight Necessities
Crape myrtles want at the least six hours of full solar each day. The morning solar is preferable to direct afternoon daylight, which is extra intense. South or west-facing areas present crape myrtles with the best quantity of daylight.
Soil Situations
Crape myrtles require well-draining soils that also maintain a little bit of moisture. They’ll survive in nutrient-poor soils and are drought-tolerant as soon as established. Crape myrtles desire barely acidic soils with pH ranges between 5.0 and 6.5.
Watering
Water established crape myrtles each two weeks or so to maintain the soil moist and extra incessantly in sizzling, dry situations. Water newly planted crape myrtles a couple of times weekly for the primary few years. This helps the plant set up an excellent root system.
Fertilizer
Feed older crape myrtles as soon as throughout the spring with a slow-release fertilizer. This supplies loads of vitamins for the event of latest leaves and flowers. Fertilize newly planted crape myrtles as soon as a month throughout their first rising season.
Pruning & Trimming
Crape myrtles differ in measurement, impacting how usually you need to prune them. Dwarf varieties gained’t want a lot pruning as a result of they solely develop between 2 and 6 ft tall. Nevertheless, some forms of crape myrtle develop as shrubs or small bushes that attain roughly 30 ft tall and 15 ft huge.
Quite than pruning too usually, assess your backyard first and decide what kind of crape myrtle you’ll be able to accommodate. Select a crape myrtle that stays at a manageable measurement in your area. This lets you scale back the pruning you’ll have to do.
Evergreen Crape Myrtles FAQs:
Do Crape Myrtles Lose Their Leaves In the course of the Winter?
Most crape myrtles are deciduous shrubs, which suggests they lose all their leaves throughout the winter. Deciduous vegetation shed leaves to preserve power and shield themselves towards sturdy winds.
What Do Crape Myrtles Look Like in Winter?
In the course of the winter, crape myrtles lose all their leaves. Nevertheless, this enables the gorgeous peeling bark to steal the present. Crape myrtle bark shows enticing shades of crimson, brown, cream, and white.
Are Crape Myrtles Exhausting to Preserve?
Crape myrtles are low-maintenance vegetation that aren’t exhausting to take care of. They thrive in Zones 6 to 9 with full solar and well-draining soils.
Wrapping Up
Most crape myrtles are deciduous shrubs or bushes that lose their leaves throughout the winter. Crape myrtles present magnificence all year long because of their leaves, flowers, and peeling bark throughout the winter.
For extra, see our in-depth guides to crape myrtle deer resistance and whether or not crape myrtles are poisonous to people and animals.
Edd is a budding content material author and gardener residing in the UK. He has a bachelor’s diploma in Artistic and Skilled Writing and has written for a number of gardening publications on-line. He’s captivated with nature and sustainability with a deal with gardening and wildlife.
