How to Harvest Crepe Myrtle Seeds

Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) trees brighten landscapes with exuberant panicles of bloom in white, pink, red or purple during the lull between spring-flowering trees and autumn foliage displays. The ornamental trees, which reach 15 to 30 feet tall in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 9, are considered invasive in seven Southern states. Gardeners who want more of the attractive multi-trunk trees can take advantage of their easy propagation and gather seedpods from their crape myrtle in the fall to intentionally start new plants in the spring.

Paper bag
Bypass pruners
Screen
Plastic zipper-top bags

Instructions

- 1
  Monitor the smooth green oval capsules that develop on your crape myrtle after flowering, waiting for them to darken to brown.
- 2
  Clip one or more of the short stems that holds the clusters of seedpods at the base with bypass pruners when the pods are beginning to separate along the six seams that run up and down each pod.
- 3
  Lay the seeds out on a screen in a dry, protected area until they are dry and split open. The pods split from the top down to release approximately 20 small, winged seeds.
- 4
  Place the pods inside a sturdy paper bag and shake it well, knocking the bag against the ground or a wall to dislodge all the seeds.
- 5
  Place the seeds in a zipper seal plastic bag and place it in the refrigerator for 30 to 45 days.

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