Crape Myrtles & Pampas Grass

Description

• Crape myrtle has papery 6- to 8-inch flowers that bloom from June to September in pink, white, purple and red. The plant has several trunks, although you can prune the trunks for a tree-like appearance. Leaves grow in a canopy over the trunks and are glossy green in summer, turning red, orange or yellow in the autumn. Pampas grass grows 6 to 10 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide with grass-like arching foliage. In the summer, female plants produce long feathery plumes of silvery or pink flowers.

Requirements

• Both plants are tolerant of any soil conditions, but they do require well-drained soil. They also require full sun to produce flowers. Crape myrtle needs full sun to prevent mold or powdery mildew. Both plants are drought tolerant.

Landscape Uses

• Crape myrtle is versatile and grows as a shrub or tree. Small varieties make good hedges or screens to hide garbage pails or air conditioning units. Pampas grass makes a good background or border for a garden. Pampas grass prevents erosion and tolerates salt water spray, making it suitable to plant near a beach. The foliage of pampas grass dries in the winter, so the University of Georgia suggests keeping it away from buildings because it can pose a fire hazard.

Planting

• Crape myrtle seeds germinate in two to three weeks, but it takes several years to grow into a full-size plant. Plant container plants during the dormant season in the fall or early winter. You can grow pampas grass from seed, but you might get all male plants, which are less attractive than female plants. According the University of Georgia, purchasing female container specimens from the nursery is a better choice. Another option is to dig up the roots of an existing female plant, divide them into sections, and plant them as individual specimens. Plant pampas grass in early winter and in spring In southern climates and in spring in northern areas.

Maintenance

• Both plants benefit from pruning once a year. Prune pampas grass during the winter before any new growth starts by cutting it almost to the ground. Prune crape myrtle in late winter before new growth appears and flower buds form. Prune just enough to shape and thin the plant. Remove suckers from the roots to keep the foliage canopy 3 to 4 feet above the soil line. Mulch crape myrtle to keep the roots moist and cool, and mulch pampas grass to protect roots from freezing temperatures in northern areas.