At The Nursery

Potomac Crape Myrtle

Fall being upon us, it might be time to bid a fond farewell to the crape myrtle blooms. Most crapes reach peak bloom when the summer heat is hottest; which means that this year, they started their work earlier than normal, in June. As a result, it has been a colorful summer at the Nursery.

But to everything a season, and mid-September when these photos were taken presents the waning end of the cycle for crape myrtle blooms. For you crape enthusiasts (and who isn't?), however, a caveat: we have limited availability in some of the crapes we show here, so if you see something you like, call us soon!

Above is a 12-14 foot Potomac crape myrtle, still showing a healthy array of clear pink blooms well into September. Drought tolerant, Potomacs transplant well almost any time of year and will grow up to 20'.

Osage Crape Myrtle

Another clear pink bloom flourishing well into September is that of the Osage crape myrtle. Sadly, we have very few of these left at the moment. Its mottled chestnut brown trunk and strong upright branching structure has been quite popular of late.

Tonto Crape Myrtle

Our Tontos are still flush with color - fuchsia, that is, which is a bright, red-purplish hue. Tontos are shorter varieties, growing to 10 feet or so, but yield a fullish spread of leaves and blooms.

Tuskegee Crape Myrtles

The Tuskegee blooms are sparse at this point, but their dark pink color will be back next season. Tuskegees are a stately tree with a broad spreading head that will grow to 20 feet or more.

But all is not lost with those crapes whose blooms have diminished.

Biloxi Crape Myrtle

What they now lack in color they more than make up with a strong form and structure and striking bark patterns, both of which will embellish any landscape throughout the Fall and Winter months. This large Biloxi is a case in point - in addition to its strong vase shape, take a close up look at its attractively variegated trunk:

So too with this Dynamite crape myrtle - a large upright grower with bright red blooms - and with our Catawba crapes, a shorter variety with a spreading crown. Catawbas will push out a vivid violet purple bloom come next year.

Dynamite Crape Myrtle

Catawba Crape Myrtle

And then there are the Fall colors coming when the leaves turn, ranging from red to purple to orange and yellow.

Catawba Crape Myrtle

Crape Myrtle Fall Colors

To everything a season, but crape myrtles seem to offer something for every season.