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Conservation Status
IUCN: not evaluated
USFWS: None
Family: LYTHRACEAE Genus: Lagerstroemia Species: duperreana Species Author: Pierre ex Gagnep. Vernacular: Crepe Myrtle
Lagerstroemia duperreana is a tall tree reaching up to 23 m in height. Lagerstroemia species often have multiple trunks with light brown to gray bark. The bark is very distinctive as it is very smooth and flakes off in large sections to reveal the new bark developing underneath. The leaves of Lagerstroemia duperreana are deciduous, which contributes to the striking appearance of this species as flowers production coincides with leaf production in the early spring. The leaves are ovate in shape and are arranged in pairs along the branches. The flowers of Lagerstroemia duperreana and pink to light purple and have 5 petals with a long narrow claw that supports the wider upper portion of the petal. The upper portion of the petal can be up to 2.5 cm wide. The fruit of Lagerstroemia duperreana is a brown capsule that is dry at maturity and splits open to release the small, winged seeds.
Lagerstroemia duperreana is native to Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. It is found in tropical semi-evergreen rain forest where it can be a dominant canopy species. Lagerstroemia duperreana is deciduous and will shed its leaves during the dry season.
(Lamotte, S., J. Gajeseni, and F. Malaisse. 1998. Structure diversity in three forest types of north-eastern Thailand (Sakaerat Reserve, Pak Tong Chai). Biotechnology, Agronomy, Society, and Environment. 2(3): 192-202.)
The genus Lagerstroemia was first described by Carlos Linneaus. The name Lagerstroemia recognizes Magnus von Lagerstroem, a Swedish naturalist who provided specimens from the East for Linnaeus.
(Staples, G. W. and D. R. Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora: Plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai’i.)
The genus Lagerstroemia is widespread in cultivation with Queen flower (L. indica), and Pride-of-India (L. speciosa) predominantly used as ornamental plants. These species do well in full sun on a range of well-drained soils, but are not salt tolerant. Propagation of these Lagerstroemia species is by seed, by cuttings, or by division of root suckers. Seeds of these species germinate readily and plants will flower from as early as the second year of following establishment. Lagerstroemia duperreana is not one of the widespread crape-myrtle species in cultivation.
