Best crepe myrtle cultivars
*Lagerstroemia* is a genus of trees and shrubs from Asia and Australia. Per Clemson HGIC, the species most commonly grown in North American landscapes is *Lagerstroemia indica*, the crepe myrtle (also spelled crape myrtle), along with its hybrids with *L. fauriei*. It is the dominant.
Lagerstroemia is a genus of trees and shrubs from Asia and Australia. Per Clemson HGIC, the species most commonly grown in North American landscapes is Lagerstroemia indica, the crepe myrtle (also spelled crape myrtle), along with its hybrids with L. fauriei. It is the dominant summer-flowering tree across the southeastern United States, producing panicles of ruffled flowers in white, pink, lavender, or red from June through September.
I don't grow crepe myrtle in Melville, Long Island — it is marginal in zone 7a, dies back in most winters, and the deer browse the new growth. The guidance below is sourced from Clemson HGIC, NC State Extension, and USDA/USNA cultivar records.
The Indian Tribe series (US National Arboretum)
The most important cultivar development in crepe myrtle history was the USNA breeding program that hybridized L. indica with L. fauriei (Japanese crepe myrtle) to introduce powdery mildew resistance, which is the primary disease of L. indica in humid climates. Per USDA Agricultural Research Service, the hybrid offspring were named for Native American tribes and introduced starting in the 1960s through the 1990s.
Large tree cultivars (20—30 ft)
- 'Natchez' — white flowers, cinnamon-colored exfoliating bark; 25—30 ft; per Clemson HGIC, probably the most widely planted crepe myrtle in the US; powdery mildew resistant; zones 6b—9
- 'Muskogee' — lavender-pink flowers; 20—25 ft; good mildew resistance; per NC State Extension, one of the more cold-tolerant large cultivars
- 'Tuscarora' — bright coral-pink flowers; 20—25 ft; per Clemson HGIC, fall color is orange-red, one of the best in the tribe series; good mildew resistance; zones 7—9
Stop fungal disease early
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Medium tree cultivars (10—20 ft)
- 'Catawba' — dark purple flowers; 10—15 ft; good mildew resistance; per USDA ARS, one of the standard medium-sized Indian Tribe selections; zones 6b—9
- 'Comanche' — coral-pink flowers; 10—15 ft; per Clemson HGIC, excellent mildew resistance and glossy dark green foliage; zones 7—9
- 'Sioux' — bright pink flowers; 10—15 ft; per USDA ARS, among the best mildew-resistant medium cultivars; zones 6b—9
- 'Cherokee' — red flowers; 10—15 ft; per Missouri Botanical Garden, one of the best red-flowered crepe myrtles for mildew resistance
- 'Pecos' — clear pink; 5—9 ft; useful bridge between medium and small sizes
Compact and dwarf selections (under 8 ft)
Compact crepe myrtles derived from further L. indica breeding, often without L. fauriei parentage — which means mildew resistance is more variable.
- 'Acoma' — white flowers; semi-weeping habit; 10 ft tall, 10 ft wide; per USDA ARS, good mildew resistance
- 'Hopi' — light pink; 7—8 ft; per Clemson HGIC, one of the better compact, mildew-resistant selections
- 'Zuni' — medium lavender; 5—7 ft; compact upright habit; mildew resistant
- 'Chickasaw' — 2—3 ft; pink; dwarf; per NC State Extension, one of the smallest cultivars; used in containers and mass plantings