Lagerstroemia speciosa Seeds | Queen’s Crape Myrtle
LATIN NAME: Lagerstroemia speciosa
COMMON NAME: Queen’s Crape Myrtle, Pride of India
Plant Profile
Among the ornamental and useful plants raised from seed, Queen’s Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia speciosa) stands out as an evergreen tree. The queen’s crape myrtle is one of grandest flowering trees of warm regions, and its great upright plumes of crinkled, crepe-like bloom are a spectacle of the summer. Small, round, woody capsules follow, holding many fine, winged seeds. Native to southeastern Asia, it has been planted as an ornamental and roadside tree across warm world for more than a century, and in the southern United States it has become a beloved fixture of summer streetscape. Mature plants top out at about Twenty metres. In combination, these characteristics make a persuasive case for growing it.
Science & Biotechnology
Research touching on Lagerstroemia speciosa ranges from the botany of the Lagerstroemia group to practical horticulture, including seed handling, propagation and the selection of superior forms. Queens crape myrtle has a real and distinguished place in the research. Nothing exotic is required: standard seed-sowing practice, done carefully, is enough.
Uses & Benefits
Queen’s Crape Myrtle works well in borders, containers and dedicated beds. Ecologically, queens crape myrtle is a generous tree of the garden. Its very large, showy, upright clusters of many small flowers feed bees and many insects, and its fine, broad, leafy crown gives a fine cover and a shelter to birds through the season. A plant that has settled in will get along with only routine care.
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
Sow fresh seed of Queen’s Crape Myrtle under ordinary good conditions. Use a loose, well-drained seed compost, sow evenly over the surface and cover lightly, and keep everything evenly moist in bright light. Shift the seedlings into small pots as soon as they can be handled, and give them bright light until planting-out time.
Our Take
Queen’s Crape Myrtle, Pride of India earns its space through character rather than fuss. Few garden plants carry such a documented history of use as this one does. Give the seed freshness and steady moisture, and nature handles the rest.
Related Reading
Gardeners who grow Queen’s Crape Myrtle often pair it with these related subjects: