Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Beautiful Crape Myrtle Decorates Every Garden

By Georgia Diaz


Crape Myrtle, or Lythraceae, is a lovely evergreen tree cultivated in warmer climates. These beautiful flowering trees are often used in modern landscaping, because their long-lasting flowers really look very attractive. Although some varieties bloom in spring as well, they usually bloom during summer and autumn.

Flowers can be found in all shades and nuances between white and dark purple and red, but you wont find orange or yellow ones. There are no blue myrtles either, although some varieties may have a blue note. Pink varieties are the most common, and landscape designers gladly use them in their projects, because they stay decorative all summer long.

In modern landscaping, the common Crape Myrtles are available in all sizes and shapes. Some look as shrubs, while other types look more like trees. Dwarf varieties are especially popular. They can reach up to two feet and their specialty is that they can go from seed to bloom in only one season, and that makes them perfect for any gardener.

Japanese variety is especially interesting. It has large, smooth, dark green, fungal resistant leaves. The plant is distinctly tree shaped and can be adapted to colder climates. But the best things are the flowers. They are always white, very large and attractive, with only a slight touch of pink sometimes. They make this plant highly appreciated.

Queen crape myrtle, also known as Banaba, comes from India, and can grow only in tropical and subtropical areas. Sometimes can be found in the most southern areas of the US, as well as on Hawaii. This plant is especially interesting in modern landscaping, and it is popular for its decorative white bark, but also for its large, deep pink flowers.

Myrtles are designed to live in very warm areas, on full sun. If your climate zone is characterized by warm, sunny summers and cold winters, you might consider buying one of dwarf varieties. They also need plenty of sun, but are small enough to be planted in a pot and placed on some warm place during cold winter months, If the winter is relatively mid, you could wrap them with straw, for example, and leave them outside.

It doesn't matter what variety you prefer, they all need plenty of sun to bloom as they should. Myrtles should be placed on a full sun and heat. They don't need much fertilizer and they are perfectly adapted to poor soil. Reasonably good soil and a very light application of a good quality fertilizer will be more than enough for keeping your lovely plant perfectly happy.

You don't need to give them too much water either. Young plants require water in the beginning, and once they start to bloom, if the water is hot and dry, they will appreciate being watered regularly. You won't kill your plant if you give it water regularly, but you will get more leaves and less flowers in this case.

When choosing your crape myrtle, make sure to read all about the variety you prefer. You should be aware of their leaves color changing in the autumn, and find out more about the size, the color of the bark, shape and pruning for this particular variety. These beautiful plants are easy to maintain and their luxurious beauty will decorate any garden.




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