Crape myrtles

[desertdave]

Has anyone in USDA zone 6 tried crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia spp.)? Surprisingly I have not seen any here in town, despite some people getting brave and planting Southern magnolias, bamboo, even the (very) occasional Trachy. What are some of their requirements? Are they reliably hardy?

[Tony O]

I have 6 different verietys growing well here in Z6 (NE Ok). The 1st winter each one was planted, they froze back, but came back from the base in late spring to bloom fully late summer. Once they became established, they have very little die back over the winters. Mine start blooming by mid summer & continue some till frost.

[Kansas]

Just looked today and I see that my Myrtle seedling is really doing GREAT. When the "Arbor Day" folks sent it to me a couple weeks ago, it didn't have a leaf on it, now it is leafing out A LOT!!
Probably baby it thru this Winter, then try it next year outside all year.

[kuma119]

I live in zone 7a and I have 5 planted in the yard. Two I brought up from South Carolina and they died to the ground the first couple of years. After 2-3 years it would die down to about a foot or two. Now they do not die down at all(6 Feet high). I also bought 3 from Lowe's. They are a cold hardy variety and they have been in the ground going on three years and are about 8 feet high and the blooms are beautiful.