‘Sarah’s Favorite’ Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) Photos by Bill Haws
‘Sarah’s Favorite’ crapemyrtles in the John P. Rousakis Riverfront Plaza in Savannah, Georgia • Photos by Bill Haws C
rapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) originates from China and Korea,
grows in USDA Hardiness Zones 7a to 10b, and can grow to 20-25 feet (6.1-7.6 m) tall by 15-20 feet (4.6-6.1 m) wide. Crapemyrtle tolerates a wide range of soil conditions including very limited underground space. This small tree species offers a long bloom from summer into fall (blooming best in full sun), drought tolerance, and hand- some bark and fall color.
I’ve often heard urban foresters com- 38
ment that crapemyrtle trees are over- planted. While that may be true to an extent, it is hard to find a more dura- ble and tolerant species for planting in tough urban sites with limited space. The variety of different crape- myrtle cultivars available in nurseries offers a range of choices in color, size, and form to succeed in hostile sites where other small tree species may be prone to failure.
Although crapemyrtles are most com- monly grown as a multi-stem, many
nurseries grow high quality standard- form (single-stem) crapemyrtles that work perfectly in narrow sites where visibility must be maintained for pedestrian and traffic safety. ‘Sarah’s Favorite’ crapemyrtle is a cultivar that deserves special consideration in restrictive sites due to superb char- acteristics and performance.
In the southeast, ‘Natchez’ crapemyr- tle has been preferred for decades as the white-flowering cultivar of choice by nurserymen and landscape profes-
City Trees
