Crepe Myrtles look expensive with very little effort. They flower for months in summer, the foliage colours in autumn, and the bark becomes the show in winter. If you are new to gardening, this is the tree to start with.
What is a Crepe Myrtle?
Crepe Myrtle is the common name for Lagerstroemia indica, a deciduous flowering tree from Asia that has been grown in Australia for over a hundred years. The size ranges from 3m compact cultivars right up to 8m feature trees. The flowers come in white, pink, lavender, magenta, and deep red. Bark peels cleanly in winter to reveal a smooth, mottled trunk.
They are not evergreen, they drop their leaves in autumn. That is the trade-off for the bark feature and the bigger summer flowering.
Best Crepe Myrtle cultivars for Australian gardens
If you are choosing your first Crepe Myrtle, these are the five worth considering.
'Natchez' is the classic white with cinnamon bark, the most widely planted in Australia.
'Tuscarora' is the deepest coral pink, with strong autumn colour.
'Lipan' is a soft lavender pink, calmer and more designed in feel.
'Sioux' is a uniform fuchsia pink, ideal if you want to plant a row.
'Zuni' is the most compact, magenta to lavender purple, perfect for small gardens.
How to plant
Pick a spot that gets at least six hours of direct sun. Crepe Myrtles will not flower well in shade.
Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball, the same depth. Backfill with the soil you took out. Water in deeply. Plant in late autumn through early spring while the tree is dormant.
Care basics
Watering: Deep water twice a week for the first 12 to 24 months. After that, only during dry spells.
Mulching: 5 to 7cm of organic mulch each spring, kept clear of the trunk.
Pruning: Winter only. Remove dead, damaged, or crossing branches. Light hand. Never top your tree.
Fertilising: Optional. A balanced slow-release fertiliser in early spring only if growth is slow.
Common problems
Poor flowering: Usually not enough sun, or over-pruning.
Powdery mildew: White coating on leaves. Caused by poor airflow and overhead watering. Choose mildew-resistant cultivars like Natchez and Tuscarora. Water at the base, not the foliage.
Brown leaf tips: Soil too dry, or drainage too poor. Check moisture and improve soil if needed.
FAQ
How tall do Crepe Myrtles grow in Australia? 3 to 8m depending on cultivar.
Are Crepe Myrtles fast growing? Moderate to fast, especially when young.
Will they damage paving? No. The root system is non-invasive.
Are they hardy? Yes. They handle 30°C and above happily, and tolerate light frost once established.
Do I have to prune? No. They will flower without pruning. Light winter shaping keeps the form clean.
Final thoughts
Crepe Myrtles are the easiest summer-flowering trees to plant in Australia. Pick a cultivar in the colour you want, plant in full sun, water deeply through the first two summers, and the tree pays you back for decades.
Thank you for a most informative article.
The leaves on my very old deciduous Crepe Myrtle have developed a sticky shiny sap, which is also now on the pot plants under the tree.
Any advice or remedy would be much appreciated.
Can crepe myrtle be established from branch cuttings
My Crepe Myrtle’s looked spectacular last year (their first year). They have since gone black with brittle branches and no sign of new foliage now that it’s spring. Everything else is bursting to life. Any ideas? Thankyou
Hi there. Any idea why my 6 year old crepe myrtles have suddenly got yellow spot on the tops of the leaves and they are now dropping them. We are in early spring in south australia and some of the buds are also blackening and dropping off.
Will they grow in large pots ?