Crape Myrtle Varieties

S & J Nursery’s

for the Northeast Florida Jacksonville | St. Augustine area Landscapes

Natchez Crape Myrtle by a pond Jacksonville Florida Whether you visit North Florida for summer vacation or your a more permanent resident, you just can’t help but notice the Crape Myrtles. They are literally everywhere, from the highways and parking lots to the quiet corners in the backyards, they really are everywhere and they are stunning!

The blooms tend to start to put on their display towards the end of May and just keep getting better as the summer progresses. For the Jacksonville and St. Augustine area garden nothing will give you a better flower show than Crape Myrtles in the summer. We love them and it shows.

With so many selections available there is a perfect cultivar to fit just about any garden space big or small. All they need is a nice sunny spot and a little tender loving care to get them going.

Here at S & J Nursery we currently have in stock over 14 selected named varieties. Each one specifically chosen for one of its unique characteristics like the stunning flowers we are all so fond of in a wide array of colors, or its height, growth rate, shape and don’t forget about pest and disease resistance. Crape Myrtle trees have come a long ways in the world of plant hybridization with vivid reds and deep purples, maroon or burgundy new growth, orange red or yellow fall color and my personal favorite absolutely beautiful peeling bark that adds such great interest in the fall and winter seasons.

Ask two people a question about Crape Myrtles in their gardens and I guarantee you will get contradicting answers! Try it … Lets pick a simple one…Do Crape Myrtles grow fast? Someone will tell you yes and someone
will tell you no. And guess what…. they are both right.

Each selection has its own unique characteristics from the color of the blossom, the time the blossoms start blooming and the time that they finish blooming the color the foliage changes in fall before it falls off of the tree in winter, the height when mature ( 6ft or 30 ft, that’s quite a difference), the shape the foliage takes naturally ( weeping , rounded or vase shaped ) the color of the bark… it just keeps going.

Choosing the right Crape Myrtle tree for the right space is crucial to its overall success and your happiness with your tree long term. Not to mention the maintenance and unnecessary pruning you can save yourself by having the right plant for the right place. For instance, if you put a lagerstroemia Muskogee where you want a small tree for right in front of a window and you will quickly have a nightmare on your hands, but put a lagerstroemia Catawba in that same space and it will be a life long love
affair.

Well, I love Crape Myrtles and I want you to as well so…here are a few tried and true varieties Crepe Myrtle as a parking lot Island tree Jacksonville Florida for the North Florida | Jacksonville | St. Augustine area gardeners landscape, we have broken them out into categories to attempt to simplify your search for the perfect selection of lagerstroemia. Whether you want a shade tree that grows 30 feet tall to be a dominant feature in the overall curb appeal of your home or you just want a little blooming tree for your patio to sit and enjoy the butterflies there is a Crape Myrtle variety that is right for you.

S & J Nursery Smaller Sized Crape Myrtles

for Smaller Spaces

Lagerstroemia Acoma Crepe Myrtle

( white semi-weeping )

Lagerstroemia Burgundy Cotton Crape Myrtle

( white with a pale pink center )

Lagerstroemia Black Diamond Crape Myrtle

( white, red, pink or purple blooms with a deep black purple foliage that never fades during summer)

Tree Farm & Nursery

Crape Myrtle Varieties

S & J Nursery’s