Types of Crape Myrtle Trees
Add a burst of color to your landscape by planting any type of crape myrtle tree in your yard. Crapemyrtle, or Crape myrtle, come from Asia and do well in warmer parts of the United States. They are hardy perennials in zones 7 through 9, but can survive in slightly colder areas, too. You can choose from a number of types of Crapemyrtle trees depending on the size and shape of plant you want, as well as the flower and bark colors.
Choctaw
If you are in the market for a tall tree, plant a Choctaw Crapemyrtle. The Choctaw can grow up to 30 feet tall. It has bright pink flowers in the warmer months and a deep cinnamon brown bark. The tree usually blooms in mid-July. In the fall, its leaves turn a deep maroon in color. The Choctaw is also very resistant to mildew.
Powhatan
The Powhatan type of Crapemyrtle grows to a height of 10 feet and is a cross between a shrub and a tree in shape. It has purple flowers and starts blooming towards the end of July. The average bloom time for Powhatan is 75 days. In the fall, its leaves turn yellow orange in color.
Dwarf Varieties
If you don't have room for a full-sized tree or shrub, look for a dwarf variety of crapemyrtle. The Pocomoke variety has bright pink leaves and grows up to 3 feet tall and will do well in a large container. The Chickasaw also does well in a container and has light pink-purple leaves. If you want a plant that will bloom all summer, plant a Victor Crapemyrtle. The Victor has dark red blooms and starts flowering towards the end of June. It flowers for nearly three months. In the fall, the leaves of Victor turn yellow while Chickasaw's and Pocomoke's leaves turn a bronze red color. Another dwarf option is the Ozark Spring, the flowers of which turn from light purple to white.
