We have plenty of white, light pink, dark pink, light purple/lavender, and a few reds around our town/area...I will keep my eyes out for a dark purple that I can take cuttings off of or maybe gather seeds from when they get ready for you...i'm guessing the dark purple are a bit rare since we have the light purple/lavender only that i've seen so far...

Thank you for keeping an eye open for the PURPLE.

Hey Plantbug,
There is a pretty dark purple one growing around here, it is in someone's yard I eyed it the other day. I am trying to get the nerve up to ask them if I can take a few cutting or get some seed from the tree.
If you don't find one and I manage to get something I will let you know.
I love the dark purple ones, they just seem to stand out.

:) Aqua

Aqua,

Seeds are unlikely to produce a crApe of the same color as the parent. You'd be more likely to get a pink-blooming plant from seeds of the purple-blooming plant. CrApe myrtles are so easy to propagate from cuttings, I'd suggest you try that, if you are trying to reproduce the same type of plant.

An exception might be if you are trying to grow a similar plant to a patented cultivar, legally. Since vegetative propagation would be illegal, seedlings might be the answer. If you grew a bunch of them, a few of the seedlings might have many of the positive aspects of the parent, without violating the patent. And, who knows, you might produce the next great horticulture hit!

Well the reason I said seed is because THIS is in someone's yard I do not know and who may not want to let someone have cuttings, I would rather take a chance on the seeds then nothing at all of this color because I have been seeking this one for while and no one seems to plant these anywhere it is always white or pink or lavender ones.
A friend of mine grew some seeds from the Dynamite Crape Myrtle an she said those all came true that she grew, so maybe there IS a possibility you can get true ones.
I do not know I know she did not buy all the ones she planted.

:) Aqua>

Ok we have a dark purple crape here in town on the city sidewalks/curbside ...when they seed i'll try to remember to get some!!

I will be glad to send you some cuttings of a purple crepe myrtle, email me and I will send you a picture. I am sure there is something we can trade, I am in zone 7b in SC

My daughter has several dark purple crepe myrtles in her yard. I took some cuttings, but I think it is to hot here,
in NE TX to do cuttings. They did not live. We are having
such hot weather. I'm sure that I can get cuttings when it
cools here.
djune/Donna

Here's a picture I took a few weeks ago comparing Catawba to 'Purple Magic' (new 2012; it can't be propagated by cloning while the patent is good.) As far as I know these are the "purpliest" of crapes but I would call neither true purple. In my book "violet" would be more accurate. However, the 'Purple Magic' flower does take on a purple cast as the blooms fade. And both trees are very pretty so you can't go wrong with either. If you want 'Purple Magic' legally, it can only be purchased. (I don't know about 'Catawba'; I don't know how long the patents last.) I will put in a plug for Evergreen Nursery in Tennessee where I bought it. The plants I got were super healthy, vigorous and exquisitely packed. (No. I don't work for them or get a commission!) Seed seems like an "iffy" way to go. Out of several seedlings you might get a color that satisfies, but other characteristics of the tree would likely not be as good. If it were that easy to produce great plants from seed, then we'd likely not have named varieties.