Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
toronado3800

Most tree like Lagerstroemia (Crape Myrtle) for Zone 6?

There are a few trees of the south I would like to have. One is a good crape myrtle tree.

My wife got me hooked with this zone 7 Dynamite cultivar from the box store a few years back. It lives here, just as a shrub which dies back half way every year. I'm going to move it to a more protected location and see how it does.

In some older neighborhoods I see vase shaped shrubs with pink flowers. Close to what I'm looking for but I would appreciate a single trunk variety.

MOBOT generically says Crapes will be milti-stemmed shrubs in St Louis.

Anyone have any different experiences? A recommended culitivar or favorite of these?

Lagerstroemia Natchez - White Crape Myrtle

Lagerstroemia Osage - Pink Crape Myrtle

Lagerstroemia Tonto - Red Crape Myrtle

Lagerstroemia Zuni - Lavender Crape Myrtle

I would love to see pictures of a zone 6 tree like one.

Comments (13)

  • mackel_in_dfw
    12 years ago

    Some of the persimmons resemble crepe myrtle. I suppose I've seen a few single trunked crepe myttle a few times, but hardly ever. I've never seen one sold that way. I do like the single trunk look. But it's a shrub that can become a small tree, with it's tendency to want to be multi trunked. I've seen an old enough crepe myrtle, where the multi trunks have fused and looked like a matrix. A very old crepe myrtle. Here in Dallas, the tree is everywhere.

    This winter, I'm going to plant Seijo, hardy to minus ten farehnheit. I've been slowly working on the edible part of landscaping...

    The photo at the below link is a persimmons that looks like what most crepe myrtles look like around here.

    Here is a link that might be useful:

  • arktrees
    12 years ago

    toronado,
    Sarah's Favorite (White cultivar) is reportedly the most cold tolerant. Our small botanical garden had then to about 20'x15' until -22 degrees at their location to them to the snow line last winter. They are growing back now. We'll see how they fair this winter.

    Arktrees

  • bengz6westmd
    12 years ago

    One Natchez & two Catawbas die halfway back here too. No real chance of them becoming single-stemmed "trees". Still, all three are handsome in bloom -- still blooming some here.

    mackel_in_dfw, that's certainly an interesting Persimmon. Very small leaves for a native one. Maybe a relatively-dwarf Oriental species?

  • alexander3_gw
    12 years ago

    I'm pretty sure the picture in the link is a pomegranate, not a persimmon.

    Alex

  • j0nd03
    12 years ago

    Fruit is WAY too big to be a native persimmon. And it is the wrong color.

    John

  • j0nd03
    12 years ago

    If it can get to -20* in northwest AR and kill the crapes to the ground, I wouldn't get my hopes up too high in z6, sorry Toronado!

    Maybe as a potted specimen. Otherwise as much winter protection as you can spare would be the only way.

    Have you thought about taking a cutting of the one you see in the neighborhood? I would think that would be your best bet. It has clearly taken a z6 beating numerous times and survived. Crapes are about the toughest plants around here I have experienced. Maybe take a few cuttings to make sure you can get them to root. I dug a couple crapes out of my front bed that had only been there 1 year and I have suckers EVERYWHERE coming up from the severed roots. 1 I let grow and it shot up over 2' and flowered profusely.

    Good luck!

    John

  • arktrees
    12 years ago

    The -20* was abnormal. The previous coldest that I have seen in Arkansas was -13* in the late 70's. They seem to be fine in most years, and had been for several years the botanical garden had been open. But a bit of protection in the St Louis area if possible (i.e. house blocking NW winds) would no doubt be beneficial.

    Arktrees

  • j0nd03
    12 years ago

    Our lowest low for this past year was 3* and it was enough to kill our crapes to the ground. I would think 3* is pretty common in zone 6. I do not know the variety they are, though.

    John

  • Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I expect to see zero F every year. Perhaps the cutting route is the way to go.... I have done it with other plants I own..... hiw to get soneone else's.....hmmm....

    Perhaps lend the pruners to my 11 year old nephew!

    Just kidding. I will look up the time of year and go ask permission.

    Thanks guys!

  • mackel_in_dfw
    12 years ago

    The photo in the link is a Seijo Japanese Persimmons, Alex, considered by many chefs to have the finest flavor of all. (There are a lot of different looking pomegranates and persimmons, enough to where they often resembe each other.)

    Texas A&M says that Japanese Persimmons resembles crepe myrtle, so by golly, it must be true. They say that most people want to try the larger fruited Japanese cultivars, for their superior taste.

  • brandon7 TN_zone7
    12 years ago

    I'm not sure what's up with that link, but, when I look at it, the fruit don't even resemble Seijo persimmons.

  • alexander3_gw
    12 years ago

    Definitely not persimmon. See the protrusions from the bottoms of the fruit? Those are the remains of the stamen cluster, and they are very prominent on pomegranates. No protrusion like than on persimmons. Sometimes a wee little black speck, sometimes nothing at all.

    The leaves are not nearly large enough to be persimmon,

    The fruit are ripening red like a pomegranate, not orange like a persimmon.

    I think you'll be convinced if you do a google image search for pomegranate.

    Alex

  • mackel_in_dfw
    12 years ago

    ...alas, the link appears to be a mystery...I think I had the corn jug out that night finding that photo, but not while I was posting...and who's gonna be able to help me with that...lol...I think the photo of the mystery fruit was taken in Australia...not really sure...but it was clearly labelled persimmons...I'll do the research...thanks for keeping me on my toes, fellows...it's hard work around here, but trust me when I say I'm laying off the hooch...lol..