Lagerstroemia indica Seeds | Crape Myrtle Tree
LATIN NAME: Lagerstroemia indica
COMMON NAME: Crape Myrtle, Crepe Myrtle
Plant Profile
Lagerstroemia indica, commonly known as Crape Myrtle, is a deciduous shrub in the loosestrife family, native to warm regions of Asia, while it is grown for its long, brilliant bloom. Crape myrtle is one of brightest of flowering trees of late summer, and its long bloom and its peeling, smooth bark have made it a favourite of warm gardens. In good conditions it grows to around Eight metres. Through the flowering season it keeps visiting bees well supplied. It is hard to name another plant that gives this much for this little trouble.
Science & Biotechnology
The species features in the wider study of the loosestrife family, and its traits make it a useful subject for work on germination biology, cultivation and ornamental selection. Crape myrtle has a genuine and distinguished place in both horticultural and botanical research. Gardeners benefit directly from its long cultivation: what the plant will do in a garden is well understood.
Uses & Benefits
In the garden, Crape Myrtle earns its place in borders, containers and mixed plantings, and it also rewards growers who raise plants for cutting, drying or kitchen use. Ecologically, crape myrtle is a generous tree of the summer. Its ruffled clusters of bloom feed bees, butterflies and insects through a long season, and its leafy crown gives shelter, while it is a beloved presence in streets, parks and gardens of warm world. It takes hold quickly and asks for no special treatment from then on.
Crape myrtle is the summer flowering tree of the South; in the Philippines its leaf tea, banaba, is a folk remedy for blood sugar, and its corosolic acid is widely studied and sold as a supplement.
Growing from Seed
Crape Myrtle grows readily from seed. Scatter the seed evenly over a loose seed compost, cover to no more than its own depth, and keep the pot moist and bright. When the young plants are big enough to handle, space them into pots or a nursery row and let them size up before their final move.
Our Take
Crape Myrtle, Crepe Myrtle is the kind of plant that rewards a permanent spot. Its long record of traditional use, described above, gives the plant a story beyond ornament. Beginners will find it patient of imperfect technique.
Related Reading
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