Lagerstroemia indica

Lagerstroemia indica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Lythraceae
Genus:	Lagerstroemia
Species:	L. indica
Binomial name
Lagerstroemia indica (L.) Pers.

A close view of the Crape Myrtle flower

Lagerstroemia indica (Crape myrtle, Crepe myrtle) is a species in the genus Lagerstroemia in the family Lythraceae.

From China, Korea and Japan, Lagerstroemia indica is an often multistemmed, deciduous tree with a wide spreading, flat topped, open habit when mature.

The bark is a prominent feature being smooth, pinkinsh-gray and mottled, shedding each year. Leaves are small and dark green changing to yellow and orange in autumn.

Flowers are white, pink, mauve, purple or carmine with crimped petals, in panicles up to 9cm.

Lagerstroemia indica is frost tolerant, prefers full sun and will grow to 6 metres with a spread of 6 metres.

Many hybrid cultivars have been developed between L. indica and L. faueri

The "Dynamite" cultivar the Crepe Myrtle

References

• Flora, The Gardeners Bible, ABC Publishing, Ultimo, NSW, Australia, 2005