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My crape myrtles are blooming. If I lived about 200 miles south of here these would be everywhere, but here it's like finding palm trees in Tennessee.

Here's my favorite. It's a Crape myrtle dynamite. I don't know if it will ever be this tall again. We had 2 winters in a row that never got below 0. I doubt we'll be that fortunate this year.

<a href="http://s1250.photobucket.com/user/Sprin ... f.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/hh5 ... be170f.jpg" border="0" alt="Crape MyrleDynamite photo Dynamite2_zps87be170f.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1250.photobucket.com/user/Sprin ... 6.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/hh5 ... 477416.jpg" border="0" alt="Crape Myrte Dynamite photo Dynamite1_zps07477416.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1250.photobucket.com/user/Sprin ... 7.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/hh5 ... 653fe7.jpg" border="0" alt="Crape myrtle Dynamite photo Dynamite3_zps93653fe7.jpg"/></a>

And here's my crape myrtle zuni. I was very unimpressed with this one at first because I prefer the lanky c.m.s with large panicles but after seeing this one flower, I've changed my mind.

<a href="http://s1250.photobucket.com/user/Sprin ... f.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/hh5 ... a11bff.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Zuni2_zpsa4a11bff.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1250.photobucket.com/user/Sprin ... 5.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/hh5 ... 412345.jpg" border="0" alt="Crape Myrtle Zuni photo Zuni1_zps69412345.jpg"/></a>

I also have a crape myrtle tonto but I think I'm going to wait till next spring to plant it because it's not very big.

Very coool! They smell good too. Nice job!

Thanks Mike!

A great plant. Down south they are evergreen. Here, they are deciduous. Folks up north can grow them as die-back (to mulch line) perennials. Helps to have hot summers for flowering.

Pretty fall foliage colors, too, btw.

TerdalFarm wrote:A great plant. Down south they are evergreen. Here, they are deciduous. Folks up north can grow them as die-back (to mulch line) perennials. Helps to have hot summers for flowering.

Pretty fall foliage colors, too, btw.

they're decidious here too erik in NJ and even as far in as PA actually. In the coldest winters only the very furthest tips will die off.

I didn't know they could be evergreen. I assumed in places like Orlando FL the cool winters were enough to make their leaves fall off. We saw one in Disney world that was probably over 20 ft. maybe 30. The flower panicles were huge! People here have mixed success with them.

cuja1 wrote:I didn't know they could be evergreen. I assumed in places like Orlando FL the cool winters were enough to make their leaves fall off. We saw one in Disney world that was probably over 20 ft. maybe 30. The flower panicles were huge! People here have mixed success with them.

I actually cut mine back because the get to big, camelias also get very big and invasive here too....But I do love them!

They sure come in great colors.
Probably form as good a hedge as lilacs too?
Good privacy screen material.

Barb

lucky1 wrote: Probably form as good a hedge as lilacs too?

Barb

I've heard them referred to as the lilacs of the summer. Although now they say there are re-blooming lilacs. Don't know if they re-bloom in the summer or not.