Ignore these warnings and you’ll be sorry.
No surprise, it is the most widely planted tree in the South.
Thus any house in a neighborhood without at least one crepe myrtle looks highly suspect.
Credit: Rebecca-Arnott/Getty Images
What are its occupants up to?
That’s something to consider before choosing where to plant.
Here are six of theworstplaces toplant a crepe myrtle tree.
Credit: Rebecca-Arnott/Getty Images
However, some selections such as ‘Natchez’ can bloom for 100 days a year.
Every day that new flowers open, old blooms fall into the pool.
It will also drop leaves for at least 30 days in late summer and fall.
This means you’ll be tethered to a pool skimmer for almost a third of a year.
Over A Porch, Deck, Or Walk
I know all about this one.
Twenty-five years ago, I planted a small ‘Sioux’ crepe myrtle at the corner of my front porch.
But it drops flowers all over the porch for two months.
They’re nothing compared to dropping leaves, however.
Beginning in August, afunguscalledCercosporaleaf spot causes leaves to turn red and drop prematurely.
When it rains, you walk out onto a moldy, slick mess.
Keep your leaf blower handy if you make the same mistake.
Near The House
And now we come to the primary cause ofcrepe murder.
Plus, plant tags frequently underestimatemature heightsby 5 feet or more.
The most common response is cutting back the offending tree to ugly, 3-foot stumps.
But crepe myrtles aremessy trees.
Forget keeping it clean.
Don’t forget that crepe myrtles also drop seeds, pods, and bark too.
Depending on the variety, they can grow up to 25 feet tall and 20 feet wide.
In The Shade
Crepe myrtles like full sun.
Without the sun they need, they may not have many or any blooms.
Where To Plant A Crepe Myrtle
Theselow-maintenance treeslove full sun.
They also make good container plants.
That means that messy trees can be moved away from the patio when flowers and leaves start to fall.
Choose the right size for growing in containers.Dwarf crepe myrtlesreach 3 to 5 feet tall at maturity.
The Razzle Dazzle series and Pocomoke are good choices.
Semi-dwarf varieties like Acoma grow to 10 feet tall but still do well in containers.
You will thank yourself profusely.
