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pinksand
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Favorite Crepe Myrtle

I started a thread in June asking for tree suggestions where we removed a black locust. Thanks to all the helpful suggestions, I decided on a crepe myrtle and talked to a family member who works at a nursery about what variety would be good for the location. I wanted something around 25' tall, pretty cinnamon bark, and in the pink family. I have another crepe myrtle on the other side of the patio that is a 10' tall watermelon red/pink variety (unknown) so I particularly don't want a purple variety since I don't think the colors will complement each other very well. She said she had the perfect variety for me and special ordered it and purchased it for me with her discount. It turned out to be 'Tonto' which only gets to be 8-10' tall and doesn't seem to have the pretty cinnamon colored bark I was hoping for. I purchased it from her out of obligation, but it doesn't seem to be quite what I want.

The tricky thing to find online is info about the bark of different varieties, which is my favorite aspect of the trees. I've been referencing the US National Arboretum's website and it looks like my best options are 'Miami', 'Biloxi', or 'Choctaw.' I'm not sure how I feel about white... if I went with white I'd probably go with 'Natchez' or 'Kiowa.' I think I'm particularly drawn to the pink varieties though.

Does anyone have any favorite varieties that seem like a good fit? Are there any that I mentioned that I should rule out? I'm particularly interested in the bark color since that will be eye level when you sit on our patio and will provide interest year round.

catgrass
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I know you are wanting pink, but in my opinion, Natchez (white) makes the more beautiful cinnamon colored bark, and if trimmed properly, makes the most beautiful spreading habit. I have several pink, deep pink, lavender and a deep purple. I like the Natchez the best.

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pinksand
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Thank you for your response! I've actually surprised myself and have been leaning towards Natchez the more I think about it. I think it will be really striking with the existing crepe myrtle I have planted nearby. I really appreciate the information about the bark and potential shape too. I've read so many different articles on crepe murder, etc. but when it comes down to it I'm not sure I know what I'm doing lol. Hopefully I'll be able to shape it into a beautiful tree over the years :) My existing CM was pruned terribly over the years so I'm slowly working on mending the damage.

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ElizabethB
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In south Louisiana Crape Myrtles are a required plant in any landscaped yard. If you want the cinnamon bark Natchez is your best bet. Do allow enough room for mature growth. 25' tall and 15' + wide. Prune judiciously and very carefully. PLEASE never commit Crape Murder. This is one of many links on Crape Myrtle care. If you go to the home page you will find many other inks on Crape Myrtle care and pruning.

https://www.lsuagcenter.com/news_archive ... yrtles.htm

My favorite is "Dynamite". It is the only true red crape myrtle as in fire engine red. 12' to 15' tall and a spread of 8' to 10'. Unfortunately not a cinnamon bark.

My sister has a Natchez in the curve of her driveway. Over the years it has been pruned and shaped into a breathe taking specimen tree -NEVER murdered.

My aversion to pink is that it is so common. I like the pure white of the Natchez - if you have the space, and the deep red of the Dynamite. I love the cinnamon bark of the Natchez.

My 2 cents

Good luck

catgrass
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I'm with you on the crepe "Murder". For the life of me, I can't see why people do that! And all over our city there are crepe myrtles planted on city property and in the parks, and the city hires "supposedly" knowledgeable landscapers to take care of them, and then they "top" the trees. I would love to have that deep red one, but don't know where I would put it.

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pinksand
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I went with the Natchez! I bought it from a nursery that grows all their own plants and had already started shaping their crepe myrtles so the little tree is off to a good start. I removed two rose of sharons to make room for 'Tonto' in another location where I think it will be beautiful. The man at the nursery was very knowledgeable and helpful and Natchez happened to be his favorite for the bark as well. I couldn't believe the variety of plants this nursery has to offer! They're definitely on the pricier side, but seemed well worth the hour drive in this case.

It's interesting that you mentioned the pink being most common where you are. I feel like the purple is really common here. My neighborhood has a big mix of all different colors, but the deep pink seems to be least common, which is what drew me to that color. I think the 'Dynamite' variety would have been a beautiful selection as well, I'm just in love with the cinnamon bark of Natchez.

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ElizabethB
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Pinksand - sorry that you pruned so soon after planting. You should have held off on pruning for a year. Pruning pushes foliage growth when you need to be focused on root production. Check the LSU Ag Center link. Can you get your hands on a Dynamite? It is considerably smaller then the Natchez. DITTO on the beauty of the Natchez bark as long as you have room for a large Crape Myrtle. Glad you found a reputable nursery. I would rather pay a little more and get an awesome plant.

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pinksand
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Elizabeth, I think you may have misread my post. I didn't do any pruning... I was just referring to the nice shaping the nursery had done as they grew all their shrubs. Everything was really nicely shaped and off to a great start. I'm aware that new shrubs shouldn't be pruned, and definitely not this time of year. I usually prune my older crepe myrtle around March here in zone 7.

The nursery did actually carry 'Dynamite' which was exciting to see! However, I was hoping for something around 25' so Natchez seemed more appropriate for the space. There had been a black locust tree in the location, but we had it removed and I wanted to replace it with something more ornamental. The space should accommodate a tree/shrub of that size :)

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ElizabethB
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:eek: I did miss read. You will LOVE your Natchez. Be patient with it. It will take several years before you have a specimen tree. Prune judiciously. Remove crossing branches and keep the center open and airy. The more air circulation the more blooms.

Glad you found a great nursery.

If you have room for another crape myrtle do consider including a Dynamite. Stunning!!

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pinksand
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Since all of my crepe myrtles are hiding in the backyard, I'd love to add 'Dynamite' in the front one day so that everyone can enjoy it! One day... :)



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