Plant Library

Other Names:  Crape Myrtle, Crepe Myrtle

Group/Class:  Enduring Summer Series

Brand:  Garden Debut

Description:

This stunning dwarf variety has a dense upright habit; striking, frilly red panicles bloom early and re-bloom all summer long; deep green foliage emerges tinged with red and puts on a nice display in fall; an excellent accent or container plant

Ornamental Features

Enduring Summer™ Red Crapemyrtle is smothered in stunning panicles of red frilly flowers at the ends of the branches from early to late summer. It has attractive dark green deciduous foliage which emerges red in spring. The oval leaves are highly ornamental and turn red in fall.

Landscape Attributes

Enduring Summer™ Red Crapemyrtle is a dense multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep. Trim off the flower heads after they fade and die to encourage more blooms late into the season. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Enduring Summer™ Red Crapemyrtle is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Enduring Summer™ Red Crapemyrtle will grow to be about 5 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is very fussy about its soil conditions and must have rich, acidic soils to ensure success, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.

Enduring Summer™ Red Crapemyrtle makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.