Crape Myrtle Identification

Resources

• Because there are so many cultivars of crape myrtles, reference photos, tables or databases prove priceless when trying to identify a mystery plant. The most comprehensive resource is the Lagerstroemia Checklist, published by the U.S. National Arboretum. Cooperative extension systems in any of the Southern states, from Texas to Virginia, usually have publications describing the most common cultivars in their region. For comparison of flower colors, the Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney website provides photographs of flower clusters to help distinguish among cultivars of similar blossom color.

Plant Form

• The fastest way to narrow down identities of crape myrtles is to examine the plant's size and form. Crape myrtles range from small shrubs only 18 inches tall to trees 30 to 35 feet tall. Pant lists, such as those from Clemson University Extension, group crape myrtles as being dwarf, semi-dwarf, small trees, medium trees and large trees. Other resources may use different labels, but still use the plant size and form first before looking at other physical characteristics to determine cultivar identity.

Flower Color

• Flower petal color and size or shape of the flower cluster is the best way to distinguish among crape myrtle cultivars. Timing of flowering can also provide insight, as some cultivars of similar flower color consistently bloom earlier than others. Don't rely solely on word descriptions of color; color is subjective and your understanding of pink-violet or fuchsia is different from another's view. A photograph is truly worth a thousand words when comparing crape myrtle flower color and cluster characteristics. For example, the white flowers of Natchez occur in a plump, pointed, clublike cluster on branch tips. By contrast, those of Byer's Wonderful White and Glendora White are larger and more open between the blossoms. These subtle differences play a vital role in distinguishing plants.

Other Features

• Bark color and peeling characteristics also help identify crape myrtle cultivars. Sometimes you are able to narrow down a mystery crape myrtle to a handful of cultivars, all with generally the same range of flower color and mature plant size. Looking at the bark may be the last opportunity for reliable distinguishing features. Some trees' smooth bark is ordinary and an ambiguous gray-beige. Others display obvious exfoliating bark chips or strips, revealing mottled green, rust, cream, white or other colored underbark. Ornamental bark, in addition to flower color, is a reason gardeners plant crape myrtles. Fall foliage color is not a reliable, absolute distinguishing feature among these plants. Environmental conditions vary year to year, and the fall color among crape myrtles always changes and ranges from yellow-orange to bright red and burgundy-purple.