
Flowers, bark, fall color- all in one small tree
For sheer flower display and multiple other fine attributes we nominate Crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia) as one of our favorite trees. After all how many other trees come in so many distinct flower colors and along with bark and fall color each cultivar is different. Originally native to SW Asia they have been cultivated for 2000 or more years and their actual native range is now unknown. They have been cultivated in the United States since approximately 1737 when the first tree was planted in Charleston, South Carolina. The first Crape Myrtles were brought from California to Oregon more than a century ago. Large venerable specimens can be found in the oldest parts of Portland, Salem, and Eugene.
Our Crape myrtles have been selected after careful observation over the last 20+ years in our climate. All of these have been shown to bloom reliably in an average summer, are disease resistant, and completely cold tolerant. Again- each individual cultivar has different water as well as heat requirements to bloom. This is specifically mentioned in the text. Take a gander at our collection of these stellar small to large garden trees.
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