Eisley Nursery

GETTIN’ DIRTY with the Garden Goddesses…

GETTIN’ DIRTY with the Garden Goddesses…
By Earlene Eisley-Freeman and Cyndi Davis

During the heat of summer it’s nice to have plants in the garden that tolerate our extremes of temperature.  One plant that will provide a bright spot in the garden is the Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia sp.). This genus can provide blooms in the heat better than many other plants, and it comes in a variety of sizes and colors to fit almost any situation. Crape myrtles are fairly resistant to diseases and pests, but we do see them get aphids and powdery mildew. For aphids, simply spray with a horticultural oil or soap solution; for powdery mildew, spray with a fungicide or select varieties that are resistant to mildew.
In order to get varieties that were mildew resistant, breeders had to cross two species of crape myrtles, Lagerstroemia indica and Lagerstroemia fauriei. From this cross, they developed varieties named after Indian tribes: Acoma, white; Comanche, bright red-pink; Hopi, pink; Muskogee, pink-lavender; Natchez, white; Seminole, bright pink; Tonto, magenta; Tuscarora, magenta to coral; Tuskegee, dark pink-red; Yuma, lavender; and Zuni, dark lavender. These varieties vary in size and shape, so you can find a more compact variety for a small area, or select a taller variety for out in the yard.
Crape myrtles can be found trained into a tree form, growing into a small tree from 10 to 25 ft. tall, depending on the variety. The smaller varieties can be used in a container or as an accent in the garden, with some varieties staying only 2-3 ft. tall, while others are compact, growing to 4-6 ft. tall and wide. The larger varieties can grow to be bushes 20-30 feet tall and 12-15 feet wide. The color range goes from white to many shades of pink and coral, to lavender and purple, and now the new reds, Dynamite and Red Rocket. Although crape myrtles are deciduous plants (loosing their leaves in the winter), they provide interest in the garden at all seasons. In the spring, their bronzy new foliage is late to emerge, but provides a background for spring color. In summer, there is their beautiful plume of color; in fall, their foliage turns yellow, orange or red before dropping; and all year around, especially in winter, their colorful peeling bark and branch structure can provide a unique look in the landscape as they mature.

Earlene Eisley-Freeman and Cyndi Davis can be found at Eisley Nursery in Auburn, 380 Nevada St., 530-885-5163.