Red crape myrtles spice up summer landscape

By GARY ENGLAND
Published July 25, 2007

The crape myrtle has been a longtime source of color in the summer landscape. Many varieties are also known to have magnificent fall/winter color when the leaves turn on this deciduous plant.

Since the introduction of this popular plant from southeast Asia, gardeners have sought specimens with more intense colors than the white to pale lavender to watermelon pink flowers found on the early introductions.

In the University of Florida IFAS publication New Red-Flowered Crape Myrtles, author Gary Knox, a professor of environmental horticulture at the North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy, describes how red-flowered crape myrtles are suitable for any sunny spot in the yard or in containers. The guide assists readers in choosing the appropriate variety to fit the spot they have picked out.

In 1997, Carl Whitcomb introduced Dynamite, the first crape myrtle with true red flowers. Dynamite became so popular that Whitcomb followed it up with Red Rocket, Tightwad Red and Siren Red as brilliant red varieties that matured and flowered at different sizes, thus allowing gardeners to choose the plant volume that fits the site where they want to use it in their landscape.

The National Arboretum has also released some red-flowered crape myrtle varieties called Arapaho and Cheyenne. Lately, red crape myrtles have become very popular and readily available to gardeners.

When deciding what variety of crape myrtle to add to your landscape, select a variety that will mature at the appropriate size for the site you choose.

Dwarf varieties usually never exceed 4 feet, while semidwarf types will reach 4 to 12 feet within 10 years. Tree-form varieties will exceed 12 feet in 10 years.

Dwarf crape myrtles can be used as container plants, perennials or large groundcover plantings.

Semidwarf varieties of red crape myrtles can serve as either multistemmed or specimen small flowering trees near patios, walkways or entrances, while the largest of the varieties should be planted in an area large enough for a tree that will eventually be more than 12 feet tall.

The best site in the landscape to plant a crape myrtle is a sunny area that has a well-drained soil that will never have standing water. Crape myrtles planted in poorly drained soils will not produce acceptable growth or flowers.

Full sun for this plant is extremely important, especially for the red varieties. Even under an extended period of overcast skies, the brilliance of the red flowers of some of the red crape myrtle varieties can be diminished.

Once established, crape myrtles are considered to be quite drought tolerant. It is noted that anyone wanting to achieve the optimum growth from the particular variety of red-flowered crape myrtle should exercise care when irrigating during times of the year when rainfall is insufficient to achieve this level of growth.

While additional fertilizer is not required after initial establishment, supplemental applications will result in the optimum level of growth and flowering.

Planting your new red-flowered crape myrtle at the appropriate depth is critical to the eventual growth and development of the plant. If crape myrtles are planted too deep, plant growth, flowering and vigor are drastically reduced.

As with many trees, it is recommended that the top of the root zone (location of the uppermost root) of a newly planted crape myrtle be set slightly above the grade of the surrounding soil level at planting, and care should be exercised to avoid covering the root ball with backfill soil.

If the correct crape myrtle variety is planted in the landscape, there will be little to no need for pruning. Occasional pruning may be done to adjust shape, if necessary.

Knox suggests that gardeners avoid pruning any branch more than 3 inches in diameter. He states that tip pruning to promote reflowering is largely unneeded on red-flowered varieties because they naturally "repeat-bloom."

Gary K. England is a commercial horticulture regional specialized extension agent for the Hernando County Cooperative Extension Service.

Fast Facts:

Crape myrtles

The following varieties of crape myrtles can be planted by gardeners in Hernando County:

Dwarf red-flowered crape myrtles (up to 4 feet tall)

- Petite Red ImpTM

- Tightwad Red

- Victor

Semi-dwarf red-flowered crape myrtles (from 4 to 12 feet tall)

- Cheyenne

- Christiana Siren Red

- Tonto

Tree-size red-flowered crape myrtles (more than 12 feet tall)

- Arapaho

- Centennial Spirit

- Dynamite

- Red Rocket

Anyone interested in obtaining Gary Knox's publication on red-flowered crape myrtles or other pertinent gardening information may contact the Hernando County Extension Service at (352) 754-4433 or go to www. solutionsforyourlife.com.

[Last modified July 24, 2007, 22:38:38]