Growth Habits of the Crape Myrtle

Tree Forms

• Some crape myrtle varieties grow 20 to 30 feet tall with upright growth habits. These are used as specimen trees. Among the varieties in this category are "Byers Standard Red" (Lagerstroemia indica "Byers Standard Red"), which bears red flowers in early to mid summer and grows to 25 feet. White-flowered "Glendora White" (Lagerstroemia indica "Glendora White") is also erect, growing to 25 feet tall, and "Hardy Lavender" (Lagerstroemia indica "Hardy Lavender") reaches 20 feet.

Intermediate Types

• The National Arboretum in Washington, D.C., has introduced a number of Lagerstroemia indica x Lagerstroemia fauriei hybrids. The intermediate types of these hybrids grow between 13 and 20 feet tall. Pink-flowered "Comanche" (Lagerstroemia "Comanche"), is a multistemmed shrub with an upright habit that can be grown as either a shrub or a tree. "Lipan" (Lagerstroemia "Lipan"), with light purple flowers, grows to 13 feet tall and wide. It is also a multistemmed shrub with an upright habit. Since it is on the shorter side of the intermediate range, it is more likely to be grown as a shrub.

Semi-Dwarf Types

• White-flowered "Acoma" (Lagerstroemia "Acoma") features a spreading habit, and is slightly wider than it is high. Growing to about 10 feet tall, it bears multiple stems. "Pecos" (Legerstroemia "Pecos") is even shorter, at about 8 feet tall. Noted for its large panicles of pink flowers, "Pecos" grows as a multistemmed shrub. Lavender-flowered "Zuni" (Lagerstroemia "Zuni") is another National Arboretum hybrid that is only slightly larger than "Pecos." It is also a multistemmed shrub, with a rounded growth habit.

Unusual Habits

• Little "Lafayette" (Lagerstroemia "Lafayette") is a miniature weeping crape myrtle with pale purple flowers. Though the plant has an upright habit, it grows between 8 and 18 inches tall. "Pocomoke" (Lagerstroemia "Pocomoke") is another miniature shrub that grows upright, but spreads so that the plant is wider than it is tall. The flowers are bright pink and the plant grows to be 18 inches tall and 36 inches wide. Another dwarf, pink-purple "Chickasaw" (Lagerstroemia "Chickasaw") grows wider than tall, at 2 feet tall by 3.5 feet wide. The mounding habit makes it suitable for gardens or containers.