Being an informed consumer is important when you buy crape myrtle for your garden. These pretty shrubs used to be confined to southern gardens, but new varieties are now available for those in more northern zones. You can find the perfect size, shape, and hue for any spot in your yard that needs a spot of color.
The name comes from the appearance of the flowers, which resemble the delicate fabric known as crepe. They look like a puff of air would blow them away, but actually they are long-lasting. The lovely color lasts all summer and is becoming more and more familiar as new varieties are introduced that broaden the range where the plant does well.
You should know your planting zone. This will be a numerical designation given to different areas of the country to help gardeners know how hardy plants need to be to thrive in their area. It used to be that crepe myrtles were limited to zones 4 or farther south, but now zone 6 is full of them. The less-hardy varieties come from warmer countries like India and Southeast Asia, while the more cold-tolerant ones are of Chinese or Korean origin.
Myrtles come in many sizes now, as new hybrids enter the marketplace. Dwarf varieties remain under two feet in height, while Japanese myrtles grow to thirty-foot tall trees with brilliant color and a pleasing vase shape. Growers have developed hedge plants as well.
Pruning is another thing that is important if gardeners want to show these shrubs at their best. There are several ways to trim the branches, depending on the result you want to achieve. If a short, thick shrub is your aim, just cut all branches off at the desired height. For the perfect vase shape and mottled trunks found in generations-old gardens of southern plantations, leave only a few strong uprights. By pruning these foundation branches of all lateral shoots and suckers, you get that traditional look.
Once you know your planting zone, you can go online to preview varieties that will thrive in your region. To be really safe, you might see what grows well in one zone farther north, or choose a sheltered spot in your garden for your new addition. Crepe myrtles prefer full sun all day, but can do with a minimum of six hours. A container plant that was raised in your region will settle quickly into its new home.
Go online to see photographs of the range of colors that you can find, and to see how people use them in their gardens. These graceful shrubs look great near a house or set as the focal point of a circular drive. They bloom on new wood, which means even inexpert spring pruning won't deter summer color, co don't be intimidated by this routine chore. The plants are really among the easiest to grow if you have the right variety for your area.
When you buy crape myrtle plants with care, you'll be investing in a more beautiful garden for years to come. These shrubs are definitely one of the more rewarding plants available to today's gardeners.
The name comes from the appearance of the flowers, which resemble the delicate fabric known as crepe. They look like a puff of air would blow them away, but actually they are long-lasting. The lovely color lasts all summer and is becoming more and more familiar as new varieties are introduced that broaden the range where the plant does well.
You should know your planting zone. This will be a numerical designation given to different areas of the country to help gardeners know how hardy plants need to be to thrive in their area. It used to be that crepe myrtles were limited to zones 4 or farther south, but now zone 6 is full of them. The less-hardy varieties come from warmer countries like India and Southeast Asia, while the more cold-tolerant ones are of Chinese or Korean origin.
Myrtles come in many sizes now, as new hybrids enter the marketplace. Dwarf varieties remain under two feet in height, while Japanese myrtles grow to thirty-foot tall trees with brilliant color and a pleasing vase shape. Growers have developed hedge plants as well.
Pruning is another thing that is important if gardeners want to show these shrubs at their best. There are several ways to trim the branches, depending on the result you want to achieve. If a short, thick shrub is your aim, just cut all branches off at the desired height. For the perfect vase shape and mottled trunks found in generations-old gardens of southern plantations, leave only a few strong uprights. By pruning these foundation branches of all lateral shoots and suckers, you get that traditional look.
Once you know your planting zone, you can go online to preview varieties that will thrive in your region. To be really safe, you might see what grows well in one zone farther north, or choose a sheltered spot in your garden for your new addition. Crepe myrtles prefer full sun all day, but can do with a minimum of six hours. A container plant that was raised in your region will settle quickly into its new home.
Go online to see photographs of the range of colors that you can find, and to see how people use them in their gardens. These graceful shrubs look great near a house or set as the focal point of a circular drive. They bloom on new wood, which means even inexpert spring pruning won't deter summer color, co don't be intimidated by this routine chore. The plants are really among the easiest to grow if you have the right variety for your area.
When you buy crape myrtle plants with care, you'll be investing in a more beautiful garden for years to come. These shrubs are definitely one of the more rewarding plants available to today's gardeners.
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