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Although the area is hit by extreme drought and recurring heat waves, some plants such as crepe myrtle bushes and small trees shine in our changed and challenged landscapes.
In late summer, while driving or walking through many streets, you can see these plants cascading with clouds of flowers in white, light pink, raspberry, light purple or deep red tones. In some quarters they adorn the streets as boulevard trees, in others as solitary trees or shrubs in front gardens. It is a real treat when a number has been planted down a block or a front yard, the delicate yet lush flowers create a party atmosphere. Enjoying full sun, warding off heat, and once established, highly drought resistant, these plants offer four-season beauty and support bees and seed-eating birds.
So much choice
There are numerous varieties of crepe myrtle, from small dense shrubs to small trees 20-25 feet tall. Originally from China and Korea, crepe myrtles have been grown in this country since the late 18th century, beginning in South Carolina. Most of the ones available today are Lagerstroemia indica or hybrids. They are often available in single or multi-line forms.
The most effective way to grow them, whether single or multi-stemmed, is to use an open shape so that the impressionistic peeling bark is visible. The smoothly textured bark resembles the skin-like bark of madrone trees or large manzanitas and is a feature on its own, especially in winter when the patterned nuances of cinnamon, pink, brown, tan and white become a living work of art in a different form Landscape.
The leaves of the crepe myrtle are small and the trees, even if they are large, cast a slight shade, making them easy to place even in small gardens. The autumn leaf color can be brilliant in reddish orange tones. Goldfinches and other finches eagerly feed on the seeds in autumn and winter, their happy songs and antics while collecting the seeds are a joy in themselves. Bees collect pollen from trees, and some beekeepers say the white-flowered varieties are particularly attractive.
There are many varieties available. To choose the ones that you like and that suit the needs of your website, consider aspects of the trees such as shape and shape, as well as size and flower color. As you walk through the neighborhoods or drive down the city streets it becomes apparent the differences in all of these attributes to consider.
Some crepe myrtles grow in a more upright, oval, dense shape, while others have a sweeping crown that makes them perfect patio shade trees. Choosing one that will fit naturally into a space without the need for an annual cut is the best way to approach the selection.
Trees are all too often pruned, a pruning system that involves removing the top branches to encourage the growth of a dense leaf and branches. Or they are severely pruned in winter, each branch cut off to a certain point. Each year new growth from this type of pruning is dense and completely obscures the open attractive structural shape that most of these trees have. Flowering occurs on new wood every season and some people think it needs pruning for this reason. Trees produce a lot of new growth every year without pruning and they bloom profusely. Trimming with headgear is time consuming and can be expensive.
Ideally, when the trees are young, cut on an open scaffold shape in winter, similar to how you would train a young fruit tree. But don’t run every branch. Let each grow naturally. Over time, thin, redundant or branched branches. No further cut is required. Established trees should not be pruned. Some trees suck by sending small shoots up from the base or on old cuttings. These should be removed every summer.
To increase drought resistance, mulch trees with composted green waste in an area that encompasses the tree’s drip line, or beyond, if space is available, to a depth of about 3 to 5 inches. The trees do very well with drip irrigation. Because the leaves are small and the trees will not produce dead leaves or wood when properly pruned, they are good choices for fireproof landscapes as long as they are sufficiently spaced and articulated.
With some communities now asking you to forego replanting or irrigation, this is a good time to watch crepe myrtle trees in the area and consider what might work for you when you can plant again.
For those who like to multiply, you can border myrtle roots from semi-hard cuttings in early summer. Cuttings must come from new wood grown this season. Each cut should be about 6-8 inches long. Remove the lower leaves and place the cutting in a gallon pot in well-drained potting soil. Put a plastic bag with a few holes over the pot and put it in the shade. Secure the bag around the pot with an elastic band. Keep it constantly moist. Since crepe myrtles grow slowly, many people buy trees instead.
Some popular varieties are those developed by the National Arboretum. Many of these Lagerstroemia indica hybrids developed in the arboretum’s research and breeding program are named after Indian tribes. There are selections with names like Apalachee, Tuscarora, Hopi, Comanche, Acoma, Potomac and Tonto. They range from 5 to 21 feet tall, depending on the variety. These were selected based on vigor, conspicuous terminal inflorescences (panicles) of the flowers and powdery mildew resistance. There are also dwarf varieties.
Kate Frey’s column appears every two weeks on the Sonoma Home. Contact Kate at: [email protected], Twitter @katebfrey. Instagram @americangardenschool
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