If you want to complement these crape myrtles with companion shrubs of similar size, try “black”-leaved Elderberry, whose foliage offers fantastic counterpoint Summersweet, who will perfume the garden at the same time the crapes are blooming Panicle Hydrangea, whose white and pink flowers also appear at the same time and Butterfly Bush, who will also scent the air and provide a similar color palette to play with.
#Purple cow crape myrtle series
For deeper, richer colors, Victor and Velma’s Royal Delight have been around for awhile and are lovely newer options include the other two Princess series varieties (Holly Ann and Zoey) and Midnight Magic, one of the Magic series. Other older varieties like Snow, Centennial, and Pink Ruffles have more normal-sized leaves and blooms. One of the first series on the market in this size is the Dazzle series, which offers several color options with dainty, smaller-than-average leaves. The next size up in dwarf varieties grow about the height of a tall person, which is still nice and compact as far as crape myrtles go. They also look stunning when paired with foliage in dark colors, such as the Weigelas with purplish-black leaves or perennial grasses that turn burgundy-purple in late summer. Johnswort, orange- or pink-flowered Coneflowers or several of the Drift roses. Warm colors like the reddish-pinks work well with yellow-flowered St. A silvery or bluish accent from a low juniper or soft Artemisia foliage would add to the cool color palette. For example, Russian Sage’s bluish-lavender flowers would be a lovely complement to a white or purple-flowered crape myrtle. Lots of perennials develop into the size of a small shrub and would mesh beautifully with one of these crapes. Rosey Carpet and Orchid Cascade are both semi-spreaders and would look fantastic draped over the edge of a retaining wall or raised bed.īecause they’re so compact, these ultra-dwarf crapes are very easy to mix in with other short-statured plants in a mixed bed – which is how I prefer to garden, so the mixture always offers something seasonally interesting and pest or disease outbreaks are rarely an issue.
The Filli series, the Infinitini series and a few varieties in the Princess series (Jaden, Kylie and Lyla) are equally short. Old varieties Chickasaw and Tightwad have been quite hard to find in recent years (probably because there are many great alternatives that have appeared with bolder colors and lusher growth), but sibling Pocomoke is still popular. Multiple varieties are now on the market which mature no higher than your hip, and a few are even flirting with the idea of behaving like groundcovers with their sprawling habits.
“Dwarf” in crape myrtles these days takes on new meaning. I’ll group them by size so it’s easier to imagine them in different uses size is the most important factor when deciding which to grow so you don’t have to stress the plant (or yourself) by needless pruning. So get comfortable and let’s delve into the modern world of crape myrtles. Taller varieties have noticeably showy mature bark, but even those without prominent colors still have beautiful smooth trunks. Rest assured that almost every variety nowadays has above-average to excellent resistance to powdery mildew, is winter-hardy here, and has great fall foliage displays. Here I will walk you through all the varieties currently available to help the decision-making process be less overwhelming. Although nowadays they only differ in three major traits – leaf color, mature size, and flower color – there are myriad combinations of these that create a variety for just about any spot. With so many good options it’s hard to choose what to stock, so we typically end up with a lot of choices – nearly 50 at current count this year. All four groups have exploded in their range of choices in recent decades, but I’d bet the greatest expansion belongs to the crape myrtles. This quartet of shrubs and small trees is invaluable for contributing long-lasting flower power with ease of care, but not many gardeners know how much diversity they contain these days. Most of us will recognize the tried-and-true staples of the summer garden: hydrangea, butterfly bush, rose-of-sharon and crape myrtle. Just because you may not spend as much time in the garden in summer as you do in cooler weather doesn’t mean it has to be any less interesting. But most of us go out anyway, don’t we? Fireworks, cookouts, pool parties, sports games, hikes, bikes, jogs, walking the dog and running errands, to say the least. Sunburns, mosquitoes, and sweat are the trinity of misery in July and August. (Don’t get me started on winter!) I get it here in the mid-Atlantic, it’s hot. High summer is when our gardens aren’t as appreciated as they are in spring or fall.
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