HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''Lagerstroemia'' (), commonly known as crape myrtle (also spelled crepe myrtle or crêpe myrtle), is a
genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...
of around 50 species of
deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, a ...
and
evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...
trees and shrubs native to the
Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographical region in Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian Ocean from the Himalayas. Geopolitically, it includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India ...
, southeast Asia, northern Australia, and other parts of Oceania, cultivated in warmer climates around the world. It is a member of the
family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
Lythraceae Lythraceae is a family of flowering plants, including 32 genera, with about 620 species of herbs, shrubs, and trees. The larger genera include '' Cuphea'' (275 spp.), '' Lagerstroemia'' (56), '' Nesaea'' (50), '' Rotala'' (45), and '' Lythru ...
, which is also known as the loosestrife family. The genus is named after Swedish merchant Magnus von Lagerström, a director of the
Swedish East India Company The Swedish East India Company ( sv, Svenska Ostindiska Companiet or ''SOIC'') was founded in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1731 for the purpose of conducting trade with China and the Far East. The venture was inspired by the success of the Dutch East ...
, who supplied
Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, ...
with plants he collected. These flowering trees are beautifully colored and are often planted both privately and commercially as ornamentals.


Description

Crape myrtles are chiefly known for their colorful and long-lasting flowers, which occur in summer. Most species of ''Lagerstroemia'' have sinewy, fluted stems and branches with a mottled appearance that arises from having
bark Bark may refer to: * Bark (botany), an outer layer of a woody plant such as a tree or stick * Bark (sound), a vocalization of some animals (which is commonly the dog) Places * Bark, Germany * Bark, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland Arts, ...
that sheds throughout the year. The leaves are opposite and simple, with entire margins, and vary from . While all species are woody in nature, they can range in height from over to under ; most, however, are small to medium, multiple-trunked trees and shrubs. The leaves of temperate species provide autumn color. Flowers are borne in summer and autumn in
panicle A panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is ...
s of crinkled flowers with a
crêpe A crêpe or crepe ( or , , Quebec French: ) is a very thin type of pancake. Crêpes are usually one of two varieties: ''sweet crêpes'' () or ''savoury galettes'' (). They are often served with a wide variety of fillings such as cheese, ...
-like texture. Colors vary from deep purple to red to white, with almost every shade in between. Although no blue-flowered varieties exist, the flowers trend toward the blue end of the spectrum with no orange or yellow except in stamens and pistils. The fruit is a capsule, green and succulent at first, then ripening to dark brown or black dryness. It splits along six or seven lines, producing teeth much like those of the calyx, and releases numerous, small, winged seeds. In their respective climates, both subtropical and tropical species are common in domestic and commercial landscapes. The
timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including Beam (structure), beams and plank (wood), planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as fini ...
of some species has been used to manufacture bridges, furniture, and railway sleepers, but in Vietnam's
Cát Tiên National Park Cát Tiên National Park ( vi, Vườn quốc gia Cát Tiên) is a national park located in the south of Vietnam, belonging to the area of ​​3 provinces Đồng Nai, Bình Phước and Lâm Đồng. It is approximately 150 km north of ...
, the dominant stands of ''
Lagerstroemia calyculata ''Lagerstroemia calyculata'' known as the "Guava Crape Myrtle" (Vietnamese name : ''Bằng Lăng Ổi'', ''Bằng Lăng Cườm''; th, ตะแบก ''tabaek''; Cambodian name: Srolao "ដើមស្រឡៅ"); the name is derived from its v ...
'' in secondary forest are thought to have survived (after episodes of logging) due to the low quality of wood. ''Lagerstroemia'' species are used as food plants by the
larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. Th ...
e of some Lepidoptera (moth and butterfly) species, including '' Endoclita malabaricus''. The leaves of ''L. parviflora'' are fed on by the '' Antheraea paphia'' moth, which produces the
tassar silk Tussar silk (alternatively spelled as tussah, tushar, tassar, tussore, tasar, tussur, or tusser, and also known as (Sanskrit) ''kosa'' silk) is produced from larvae of several species of silkworms belonging to the moth genus '' Antheraea'', incl ...
, a form of
wild silk Wild silks have been known and used in many countries from early times, although the scale of production is far smaller than that from cultivated silkworms. Silk cocoons and nests often resemble paper or cloth, and their use has arisen independent ...
of commercial importance in India.


Landscaping and gardening

Certain species of crape myrtle are used in landscaping and gardening as screens, lawn specimens, shrub borders, and container plants. Since crape myrtles are found in many places, opinions differ as to how to cultivate them in landscaping. Crape myrtles are best cultivated in warmer southern climates, US zones 7–9, and prefer full sun. They occur in a variety of flowering colors and size. Crape myrtles might have been considered messy in the past, but their seedpods cannot stain concrete, so are best planted near swimming pools, decks, and sidewalks. CrapeMyrtleSummer.jpg, Crape myrtle during summer in
Sombrerete Sombrerete () is a town and municipality located in the northwest of the Mexican state of Zacatecas, bordering the state of Durango. It was founded in 1555 by Spanish conquistador Juan de Tolosa as a mining center, due to the wealth that the min ...
, Mexico CrapeMyrtleFall.jpg, Same tree during fall


Selected species

* '' Lagerstroemia anhuiensis'' * '' Lagerstroemia anisontera'' * '' Lagerstroemia anisoptera'' * '' Lagerstroemia balansae'' * ''
Lagerstroemia calyculata ''Lagerstroemia calyculata'' known as the "Guava Crape Myrtle" (Vietnamese name : ''Bằng Lăng Ổi'', ''Bằng Lăng Cườm''; th, ตะแบก ''tabaek''; Cambodian name: Srolao "ដើមស្រឡៅ"); the name is derived from its v ...
'' * '' Lagerstroemia caudata'' * ''
Lagerstroemia cristata ''Lagerstroemia'' (), commonly known as crape myrtle (also spelled crepe myrtle or crêpe myrtle), is a genus of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, northern Australia ...
'' * '' Lagerstroemia excelsa'' * '' Lagerstroemia fauriei'' * ''
Lagerstroemia floribunda ''Lagerstroemia floribunda'', also known as Thai crape myrtle and ''kedah bungor'', is a species of flowering plant in the family Lythraceae. It is native of the tropical region of Southeast Asia. In Thailand, it is the provincial tree of Sarab ...
'' * ''
Lagerstroemia fordii ''Lagerstroemia'' (), commonly known as crape myrtle (also spelled crepe myrtle or crêpe myrtle), is a genus of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, northern Australia ...
'' * ''
Lagerstroemia glabra ''Lagerstroemia'' (), commonly known as crape myrtle (also spelled crepe myrtle or crêpe myrtle), is a genus of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, northern Australia ...
'' * ''
Lagerstroemia guilinensis ''Lagerstroemia'' (), commonly known as crape myrtle (also spelled crepe myrtle or crêpe myrtle), is a genus of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, northern Australia ...
'' * ''
Lagerstroemia indica ''Lagerstroemia indica'', the crape myrtle (also crepe myrtle, crêpe myrtle, or crepeflower) is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Lagerstroemia'' of the family Lythraceae. It is native to the Indian Subcontinent (hence the species epi ...
'' * ''
Lagerstroemia intermedia ''Lagerstroemia intermedia'' is a species of plant in the family Lythraceae. It is found in China and Thailand. It is threatened by habitat loss. As of 2010, it was classified as "Vulnerable" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature ...
'' * ''
Lagerstroemia langkawiensis ''Lagerstroemia langkawiensis'' is a species of small tree in the family Lythraceae. It is endemic to Langkawi Island, Western Malaysia. It is threatened by habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) ...
'' * ''
Lagerstroemia limii ''Lagerstroemia'' (), commonly known as crape myrtle (also spelled crepe myrtle or crêpe myrtle), is a genus of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, northern Australia ...
'' * ''
Lagerstroemia loudonii ''Lagerstroemia loudonii'' ( th, เสลา; ) is a species of flowering plant in the family Lythraceae. Its origin is in Burma and Thailand, where it is found in the wild in Isan and the east down to central Thailand. Salao is a medium-sized ...
'' * ''
Lagerstroemia micrantha ''Lagerstroemia'' (), commonly known as crape myrtle (also spelled crepe myrtle or crêpe myrtle), is a genus of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, northern Australia ...
'' * ''
Lagerstroemia microcarpa ''Lagerstroemia microcarpa'' is a flowering tree that is endemic to India. It is native to the Western Ghats mountain range, located in southwestern India. Description The tree grows to tall. It is known as "Nude Lady of the Forest" for its ...
'' * ''
Lagerstroemia minuticarpa ''Lagerstroemia minuticarpa'' is a species of plant in the family Lythraceae. It is endemic to India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second- ...
'' * '' Lagerstroemia "Natchez"'' * ''
Lagerstroemia ovalifolia ''Lagerstroemia'' (), commonly known as crape myrtle (also spelled crepe myrtle or crêpe myrtle), is a genus of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, northern Austr ...
'' * '' Lagerstroemia paniculata'' * ''
Lagerstroemia parviflora ''Lagerstroemia'' (), commonly known as crape myrtle (also spelled crepe myrtle or crêpe myrtle), is a genus of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, northern Australia ...
'' * ''
Lagerstroemia siamica ''Lagerstroemia'' (), commonly known as crape myrtle (also spelled crepe myrtle or crêpe myrtle), is a genus of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, northern Australia ...
'' * '' Lagerstroemia speciosa'' * ''
Lagerstroemia stenopetala ''Lagerstroemia'' (), commonly known as crape myrtle (also spelled crepe myrtle or crêpe myrtle), is a genus of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, northern Australia ...
'' * ''
Lagerstroemia subcostata ''Lagerstroemia subcostata'' (also known as the Taiwan crepe myrtle) is a deciduous tree which is native to Japan, Taiwan, China and the Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ...
'' * ''
Lagerstroemia subsessilifolia ''Lagerstroemia'' (), commonly known as crape myrtle (also spelled crepe myrtle or crêpe myrtle), is a genus of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, northern Australia ...
'' * ''
Lagerstroemia suprareticulata ''Lagerstroemia'' (), commonly known as crape myrtle (also spelled crepe myrtle or crêpe myrtle), is a genus of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, northern Australia ...
'' * ''
Lagerstroemia tomentosa ''Lagerstroemia tomentosa'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Lythraceae. It is found in Indochina, including in Yunnan, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), ...
'' * ''
Lagerstroemia turbinata ''Lagerstroemia'' (), commonly known as crape myrtle (also spelled crepe myrtle or crêpe myrtle), is a genus of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, northern Australia ...
'' Koehne * ''
Lagerstroemia venusta ''Lagerstroemia'' (), commonly known as crape myrtle (also spelled crepe myrtle or crêpe myrtle), is a genus of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, northern Australia ...
'' * ''
Lagerstroemia villosa ''Lagerstroemia'' (), commonly known as crape myrtle (also spelled crepe myrtle or crêpe myrtle), is a genus of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, northern Australia ...
'' The common crape myrtle (''L. indica'') from China and Korea was introduced ''circa'' 1790 to Charleston, South Carolina, in the United States, by French botanist
André Michaux André Michaux, also styled Andrew Michaud, (8 March 174611 October 1802) was a French botanist and explorer. He is most noted for his study of North American flora. In addition Michaux collected specimens in England, Spain, France, and even Pe ...
. In the wild, the species is most often found as a multiple-stemmed, large shrub, but 200 years of cultivation have resulted in a huge number of cultivars of widely varying characteristics. Today, crape myrtle varieties can fulfill many landscaping needs, from tidy street trees to dense barrier hedges to fast-growing dwarf types of less than , which can go from seed to bloom in a season (allowing gardeners in places where the plant is not winter-hardy to still enjoy the intense colors of the frilly flowers). In Europe, crape myrtle is common in the south of France, the
Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula (), ** * Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica'' ** ** * french: Péninsule Ibérique * mwl, Península Eibérica * eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, defi ...
, and most of Italy; in the United States, it is an iconic plant of gardens across the
Southern United States The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...
from Maryland to Central Texas. It has been cultivated in many parts of Australia, but is most common in the areas of the country with a Mediterranean climate such as the south-east and west. While not as widely known, the Japanese crape myrtle, ''L. fauriei'', from central and southern Japan, is becoming increasingly important, both as a landscaping plant and as a parent in complex hybrids with ''L. indica''. This species is distinctly tree-like, with colorful, deciduous bark and dark green leaves, which are more resistant to fungal diseases than are those of its more popular relative. The Japanese name for this tree is , which refers to the smooth, slippery bark. Flowers are as large as those of ''L. indica'', but are white with only the slightest pink flush appearing in some individuals. Japanese crape myrtle is hardier to cold than many strains of ''L. indica'', a characteristic (along with fungal resistance, tree form, and colorful bark) that makes it valuable as genetic material for hybridization. Cultivars available include 'Kiowa', 'Fantasy', and 'Townhouse'. ''L. speciosa'', known as queen crape myrtle, giant crape myrtle, or ''banabá'', originates in subtropical and tropical India. It can be grown in any similar climate, but in the United States is suitable only for
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, a ...
, southernmost Texas, South Louisiana, coastal southern California, and
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only ...
. It is a large evergreen tree with colorful rosy-mauve flowers and striking white bark, suitable for public parks and avenues; only the seed-grown species is commonly available for sale, unlike ''L. indica'' and ''L. fauriei'', which have dozens of cultivars.


References


Further reading

* * Flora, The Gardeners' Bible, ABC Publishing, Ultimo, NSW, Australia, 2006


External links

* {{authority control Lythraceae genera Garden plants Ornamental trees Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus