Crepe Myrtle
A summer-flowering small tree covered in vivid white, pink, mauve or red blooms from mid to late summer, with good autumn leaf colour as a bonus. Wants full sun and shelter from wind to flower well, and is best suited to warmer North Island gardens or sheltered warm-temperate sites elsewhere - no reliable outdoor planting window is given for Otago. Dwarf cultivars are available for small gardens and large pots. Standard forms reach 6-8m.
- Sun
- full sun
- Water
- moderate
- Spacing
- 300cm
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Grows in
- Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury
- Mature height
- 7m
- Flowering season
- Jan, Feb
- Attracts wildlife
- Bees
- Evergreen
- No, deciduous
- Common diseases
- Powdery mildew, Cercospora leaf spot
- Common pests
- Crepe myrtle aphid
When to plant by region
In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: September-November. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast and Christchurch / Canterbury: October-November.
Growing stages
Planting & establishmentFirst few months
- Wants full sun and shelter from wind to flower well
- Best suited to warmer North Island gardens or sheltered warm-temperate sites elsewhere; no reliable outdoor planting window given for Otago
- Dwarf cultivars suit small gardens and large pots if space is limited
Early growthFirst 1-2 years
- Watch for crepe myrtle aphid on new growth
- Powdery mildew and cercospora leaf spot can appear on foliage, especially in humid conditions
FloweringMid to late summer (January-February)
- Vivid white, pink, mauve or red blooms attract bees; avoid spraying during flowering
- Continue watching for powdery mildew, which favours the humid conditions of summer flowering
- Standard forms reach 6-8m, so check the bloom display still suits the space as the tree matures
Maturity
- Good autumn leaf colour follows the summer flower display as a bonus
- Continue monitoring for crepe myrtle aphid and powdery mildew each season