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Lagerstroemia indica
Also called Crape myrtle, Crepe Myrtle, Crepeflower, Common Crape Myrtle, Indian Crape Myrtle, Laggerstreamer, Leggerstreamer
In Singapore: Crepe Myrtle, Crepe Flower, Chinese Crape Myrtle, Bungor, Queen Flower (Grown in Singapore)
A deciduous, often multi-stemmed shrub or small tree from Asia, grown for long-lasting summer and autumn flowers. The key to growing it is full sun and hot summers, which it needs to bloom well.
Lagerstroemia indica, known as the crape myrtle (also crepe myrtle, crêpe myrtle, or crepeflower), is a species of flowering plant in the genus Lagerstroemia of the family Lythraceae. It is native to East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is an often multi-stemmed, deciduous tree with a wide spreading, flat topped, rounded, or even spike shaped open habit. The tree is a popular nesting shrub for songbirds and wrens.
In the United States, Lagerstroemia indica is a very popular flowering shrub/small tree in mild-winter states (USDA Zones 6–10). Low maintenance needs make it a common municipal planting in parks, along sidewalks, highway medians and in parking lots. Like the southern magnolia, the crape myrtle has come to symbolize the American South because of its extensive planting and ability to thrive in hot, humid summer climates with regular precipitation. It is one of only a few trees/shrubs to offer brilliant color in late summer through autumn, at a time when many flowering plants have exhausted their blooms. In arid climates, it requires supplemental watering and some shade in the very hottest areas. The plant must have hot summers in order to flower successfully, otherwise it will show weak bloom and is more vulnerable to fungal diseases.
Frequently L. indica is root hardy to Zone 5 (−23 °C or −10 °F), meaning it will be killed back during harsh winters but regrow from the roots and flower in summer. As such Northern gardeners treat it more like a perennial than a tree or shrub.
Lagerstroemia indica is native to the subtropical regions of Asia; the Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests in Nepal, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, southern China, mainland Southeast Asia, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Japan.
Lagerstroemia × egolfii · Thai Crape Myrtle · Lagerstroemia langkawiensis · Lagerstroemia loudonii · Pride of India · Lagerstroemia tomentosa · Crepe Myrtle
[Contains information from Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Heritage Trees from data.gov.sg (National Parks Board), made available under the terms of the Singapore Open Data Licence version 1.0]
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Lagerstroemia indica by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
Pet safety from the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists.
