Tropical Plant Database - Plant Details

Lagerstroemia indica is a medium to large shrub or a small multi-stemmed tree to 40 feet. The bark is very attractive gray brown, smooth, exfoliating and exposing shades of brown, reddish brown and green. The twig is slender, brown (initially red or green), ridged or angled with very small buds. Leaves are opposite or some leaves alternate or whorled, simple, elliptical, 1 1/2 to 3 inches long, dark green above, paler below with entire margin. The flowers are very attractive, white, pink red or purple (depending on the cultivar), occurring in long (8 inch) spike-like clusters, appearing in late summer. The fruit is a 6 parted, brown capsule in upright spikes. Each capsule is 1/2 inch long and persistent through the winter, containing many small winged seeds.
(Gilman, Edward F. 1999. Fact Sheet. Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. University of Florida.)

The Crape Myrtle is an outstanding ornamental that rewards with a long blooming season of showy flowers and a winter season of dramatic architectural beauty highlighted by distinctive exfoliating bark.
Crape Myrtles have been planted along highways in the southern United States for generations. They are becoming more widely used in urban areas, especially as new varieties have been developed for smaller size and disease resistance.
(Gilman, Edward F. 1999. Fact Sheet. Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. University of Florida.)

Originally from Asia, Cape Myrtle has been naturalized throughout the United States as far north as Massachusetts, where it grows as an herbaceous perennial. First introduced to England and the United States in the eighteenth century, Crape Myrtle is now widely cultivated throughout the world.
(Gilman, Edward F. 1999. Fact Sheet. Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. University of Florida.)

The name Crape Myrtle refers to the crinkly flower petals that resemble the material called crepe, which according to Webster Dictionary is a "light crinkled fabric woven of any of various fibers".

We currently have 2 herbarium specimens for Lagerstroemia indica in our collection. Click on any specimen below to view the herbarium sheet data.

• 041695 - collected by A. H. M. Jayasuriya in 1974
• 039960 - collected by Steve Perlman in 2003