How to Grow Crepe Myrtle

There is a wonderfully wide range of Crepe Myrtle varieties and hybrids available, including different flower colours, burgundy foliage or plant sizes, from medium sized trees to semi-dwarf shrubs.

Some of the most popular Crepe Myrtles include:

• The 'Indian Summer®' range of Crepe Myrtles come in a wide variety of flower colours including white 'Acoma' and 'Natchez', and 'Lipan', 'Sioux' and 'Tuscarora' with pink flowers. Indian Summer Crepe Myrtles include small to medium sized trees.
• 'The Magic Series®' of Crepe Myrtles that include deep maroon-purple foliaged 'Midnight Magic', rich red flowered 'Red Magic', 'Purple Magic' with purple flowers and 'Moonlight Magic' which has white flowers.
• 'Diamonds in the Dark®' Crepe Myrtles have near-black foliage, grow 3 m tall and come in a range of flower colours including pinks, red, purple and white.

A visit to your local garden centre is one of the best ways to choose a Crepe Myrtle, and plant tags will provide information on flower and foliage colour, as well as mature plant size.

Choose a spot with well-drained soil that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight a day.

Dig the planting hole twice as wide and to the same depth as the root-ball. Remove the shrub from the container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots.

Position in the hole and backfill with soil, gently firming down. Form a raised ring around the plant, creating a well so that water will go where it's needed most. Water in well. 

Keep the soil moist as the plant establishes. Applying a mulch, like Yates Dynamic Lifter 4 in 1 Mulch, around the root zone will help retain soil moisture. Keep the mulch away from the trunk.

Water deeply, once or twice a week, until established. Once established, Crepe Myrtles are quite drought tolerant but will do best with regular watering, especially when leaves and flowers are developing.

To promote healthy growth and flowering, feed every eight weeks from spring to autumn with a flower-specific fertiliser like Yates Dynamic Lifter Roses & Flowers Plant Food Pellets.

Dwarf and compact varieties of Crepe Myrtles are best for growing in pots.

Choose a pot that's at least 500 mm in diameter and position in a warm, sunny location that receives a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight a day.

Choose a quality potting mix, such as Yates Premium Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter. Part-fill your chosen pot with potting mix. Remove the plant from the container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots. Place the root-ball on the potting mix and backfill around the roots with more potting mix. The final level of mix should be the same as the current level currently around the plant. Water in well to settle the potting mix around the roots.

Keep the potting mix moist while the Crepe Myrtle establishes. Applying a mulch, like Yates Dynamic Lifter 4 in 1 Mulch, around the base of the tree will help retain potting mix moisture. Keep the mulch away from the trunk.

Water potted Crepe Myrtles deeply until well established. Crepe Myrtles are fairly drought hardy once established, but will thrive with regular watering, especially when leaves and flowers are developing.

Feed established potted Crepe Myrtles every eight weeks from spring to autumn with a flower fertiliser like Yates Dynamic Lifter Roses & Flowers Plant Food Pellets.

Crepe Myrtles are deciduous trees and lose their leaves during winter. Green foliage emerges in spring.

Crepe Myrtles grow best in cool to sub-tropical climates. In cold climates, Crepe Myrtles can be damaged during winter.

To help keep Crepe Myrtles looking tidy, after flowering has finished, remove as many spent flower heads as possible. Crepe myrtles may be pruned hard in winter, although this will affect their natural beautiful shape.

To create a tree with one central trunk (and show off the attractive bark), cut off low growing side stems.

Nothing! In some countries, Crepe Myrtles are known as Crape Myrtles.

Feed established potted Crepe Myrtles every eight weeks from spring to autumn with a potassium-rich flower fertiliser like Yates Dynamic Lifter Roses & Flowers Plant Food Pellets.

Powdery Mildew is a fungal disease that can infect Crepe Myrtles and significantly reduce their health. It appears as a white powdery coating on leaves, and as this disease progresses, leaves can yellow.

Many newer varieties of Crepe Myrtles are resistant to Powdery Mildew. However, if Powdery Mildew does occur, particularly during damp and humid weather, trees can be sprayed with Yates Rose Shield.

Crepe Myrtles need to be growing in a position that receives at least six hours of direct sunshine a day. Plants growing in shadier positions will not produce as many flowers. Feeding with a potassium-rich flower fertiliser, like Yates Dynamic Lifter Roses & Flowers Plant Food Pellets will also help promote flowering.

Some Crepe Myrtles can sucker (stems are produced from the roots). As soon as these are noticed, cut them off at ground level.