Blooms of Lagerstroemia indica ‘Sarah’s Favorite’
Standard-form ‘Sarah’s Favorite’ crapemyrtles grow in tight spaces in Savannah and show off the tree’s gorgeous bark.
sionals. While ‘Natchez’ indeed has many fine qualities, including cinna- mon colored bark, snow-white blooms, aphid/mildew resistance, and orange fall color, its form and branch habit resemble an umbrella. When planted within a park, median, or wide tree lawn, ‘Natchez’ is a fine selection; however, in a narrow, more limited site, it requires a high level of pruning to maintain clearance and visibility.
Similar to ‘Natchez’, ‘Sarah’s Favorite’ has attractive bark, resistance to
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aphids and mildew, and white flowers, but it offers a longer bloom period. In Savannah, Georgia, ‘Sarah’s Favorite’ has continued flowering as late as December. It also has foliage that is darker green and more lustrous than ‘Natchez’, with an upright branch habit and more open form that requires less maintenance pruning. Fall color of ‘Sarah’s Favorite’ can be quite striking; when the right weather con- ditions have occurred, it has locally displayed beautiful hues of orange
and yes, even red! ‘Sarah’s Favorite’ crapemyrtle is clearly a great choice for urban areas.
—Bill Haws, Forestry Administrator for the City of Savannah Park & Tree Department, Savannah, Georgia
NOTE: Trees of Merit are not suitable for every climate and site condition. Variations in regional performance will apply. If you are using a Tree of Merit in your municipality, please share your experience with it on the SMA Listserve.
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