Plant Crape Myrtles in the Fall
by Elmer Krehbiel, Master Gardener
October 25, 2002
Now that the soil moisture is suitable, this is probably the best season of the year to select container grown crape myrtles and set them in the landscape. In this area and further south, they will develop roots during the winter months.
Crape myrtles have been included in landscapes of Central Texas since pioneer days. The Brazos Valley is known as the Crape Myrtle Capital of Texas. Gardeners continue to select crape myrtles to provide summer color in the landscape.
Plant breeders continue to develop new varieties that are more disease and insect resistant and more attractive.
Crape myrtle plants are available in several shapes and range in size from 18 inches to 40 feet. Flower colors vary from white, pink, red, to maroon, and lavender to purple.
Varieties & Flower Colors
Weeping-miniature crape myrtle (18-24 inches):
- Delta Blush — pink
- Bayou Marie bi-colored pink
- Bourbon Street watermelon-red
- Baton Rouge deep red
- New Orleans purple
- Cordon Bleu lavender
- Lafayette light lavender
These should be suitable for five- gallon containers.
Dwarf crape myrtle (3-4 feet):
- Hope white
- Pocomoke pink
- Tightwad red
- Victor dark red
- Okmulgee red-maroon
- Chickasaw purplish-pink
- Centennial purple
- Ozark lavender
These should be suitable for 10-gallon containers.
Medium crape myrtle (5-10 feet):
- Acoma white
- Prairie Lace pink-white
- Caddo; Hopi; Pecos; Seminole; Potomac pink
- Cherokee; Tonto red
- Velmas Royal purplish-red
- Zuni lavender
Large crape myrtle (10 to 20 feet):
- Near East light pink
- Comanche coral-pink
- Osage; Potomac clear pink
- Pink pink
- Royal Velvet bright pink
- Sioux — vibrant pink
- Seminole medium pink
- Tuskegee dark pink
- William Toovey pink-red
- Raspberry Sundae pinkish-red/white
- Cherokee soft red
- Dallas Red bright red
- Centennial Spirit; Regal Red dark red
- Catawba violet-purple
- Purple light purple
- Powhatan medium purple
- Conestoga pale lavender
- Apalachee light lavender
- Lipan; Yuma medium lavender
Largest crape myrtle (20 feet or more):
- Fantasy; Kiowa; Natchez; Townhouse white
- Byers Wonderful White clear white
- Biloxi pale pink
- Choctaw bright pink
- Miami; Tuscarora dark pink
- Byers Standard Red soft red
- Red Rocket bright red
- Dynamite cherry red
- Carolina Beauty dark red
- Bashams Party Pink; Muskogee light lavender
- Hardy Lavender medium lavender
- Wichita lavender
More on Crape Myrtles
- Crape Myrtle Care
- Crape Myrtle Is a Great Southern Plant
- Crape
Myrtle Varieties & Characteristics (pdf)
- Crape Myrtles Need Sunlight & Air
- Pruning Crape Myrtles
- Select Crape Myrtles by Color & Variety
- Why Prune Crape Myrtle?
Dr. Elmer Krehbiel is the former President of Keep Brazos Beautiful. See his column in The Eagle.
