Crape Myrtle : Lagerstroemia

Long-lasting crinkly, crepelike flowers grace this plant in summer and early fall. Light green summer leaves turn red, orange or purplish in autumn. Prune hard in spring. At home in the South.

These small, multi-branched shrubs to small single-trunked trees are known for their ornamental flowers, bark and foliage. The large showy clusters of flowers range from white to pink to red to purple. The upright-arching trunks have gray to brown bark, which peels away to reveal the smooth pale-pink inner bark. Plant against a light-colored wall for the best effect.