'Lovely time of year for their blooms,' one person said.

Speaking as a “plantaholic” who likes just about all things with foliage, fronds or needles, one plant I started to salivate over in the 1990s was crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia sp.). For us in northern ...

Although native to eastern Asia, crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia) are almost indispensable in the Southern landscape. Their vibrantly colored flowers in shades of pink, purple, red and white from May to ...

So far, 2025 has been the best year I've seen for crape myrtles in the past 15 or 20. Many of us feel they're the best flowering shrubs and small trees for the South, and this year is certainly ...

New, smaller crape myrtles fit better in most gardens while providing lots of flower power and sometimes colorful purple leaves too. Older, large types like Natchez, Muskogee, and Tuscarora grow into ...

correctionIn an earlier version of this article, the last name of a Smithsonian Gardens arborist was incorrectly stated. He is Jacob Hendee, not Jacob Hender. The article has been corrected. Spring ...

AUGUST CAN BE HARD on the garden. Which only serves to spotlight the beauty of crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia sp.), a flowering tree that shows up with a dazzling display in the dog days of summer. Crape ...