solvida
- , Plants
Top 5 Tall Crape Myrtle Tree Varieties
As the harsh summer months progress and plants continue to fall out of bloom, the Crape Myrtle tree continues to thrive. Known for its attractive colors and long blooming season through summer, it’s a popular tree in landscape designs all over Texas. Below, we have included the top 5 tall Crape Myrtle tree varieties for North Texas. The tall Crape Myrtle tree varieties discussed in this article include five different bloom colors and will grow past 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide.
Potomac Crape Myrtle
The Potomac Crape Myrtle tree is known for its vibrant pink blooms. Its natural foliage is dark green and bronze but becomes bright red and orange in the fall, marking the end of its blooming season from July to September. The Potomac also has exfoliating bark, meaning that its natural grayish bark will eventually peel off to show a new layer. This tree can grow up to 25 feet in height and 20 feet in width and has an upright growth pattern. This means that the branches will grow vertically out of the soil and often in the direction of its source of sunlight. A Potomac will thrive in full sunlight but must be in a sheltered area to protect the plant from a harsh Texas winter freeze. Although it is adjustable to most any type of soil, this Crape Myrtle prefers moist and well-drained soil in order to thrive.
Muskogee Crape Myrtle
Unlike the Potomac, the Muskogee Crape Myrtle tree is identified by its attractive lavender blooms. This tree has light gray and tan bark, which will also exfoliate with age. It usually grows to be about 25 feet in height and the same in width, portraying a vase-shaped crown as the branches spread out from its trunk. Because of its vast size, pruning should be done in late winter or anytime close to the blooming season so that dead branches are more clearly seen. Muskogees usually bloom from late spring until the end of summer, thriving in full sunlight like other Texas heat-tolerant plants. Muskogees can thrive in pretty much any environment and soil, but like most Crape Myrtles, they prefer moist soil but can also tolerate clay and alkaline types.
Fantasy Crape Myrtle
The Fantasy Crape Myrtle tree has bright white blooms and will exfoliate in the summer to show its cinnamon, orange, and white bark. This Crape Myrtle can grow up to a shocking 40–50 feet tall, but is on average about 25 feet tall and wide and grows in a vase structure from the crown. Most pruning should be done whenever the branches are thin or can be done as they grow if there appear to be any dead outlier branches obstructing the growth path. Lastly, Fantasy Crape Myrtles prefer full sunlight daily, thriving from May to June and in neutral or slightly acidic soil.
Red Rocket Crape Myrtle
Red Rocket Crape Myrtle trees are known for their shocking red blooms and exfoliating bark that ranges from gray to cinnamon brown throughout the seasons. This tree usually grows to be 15-20 feet in height and about the same in width. Its name comes from its trunks, which grow upward like a rocket. The Red Rocket thrives in full sunlight and prefers well-drained soil, but it is also drought-tolerant, making it able to thrive in harsh Texas summers. Its blooming season goes from mid- to late-summer, when its vibrant orange and red foliage emerges.
Twighlight Crape Myrtle
The Twilight Crape Myrtle tree can be identified by its deep purple blooms, which bloom from the middle of May to late September. This tree can grow as tall as 15–25 feet and 10–15 feet in width, and it has an impressive growth rate of more than 2 feet a year. It has light gray and brown bark, which exfoliates in the summer and falls to show vibrant pink and orange bark. They thrive in full sunlight, prefer well-drained soil, and can tolerate clay and sandy soil as well.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tall Variety Crape Myrtle Trees
How big do Crape Myrtle trees get?
Crape Myrtles can range anywhere from 5 to 50 feet in height and width at their peak, but as for the tall variety, they are about 20 feet tall and 5 feet wide. Although this is true, it all depends on the variety of Crape Myrtle tree you choose.
Where should you not plant a Crape Myrtle tree?
Although Crape Myrtles are pretty versatile and can be planted in many places, it is important that they are not planted in certain areas due to their size and root system. These areas include house foundations, fences, patios, stone flower bed borders, or swimming pools.
Are Crape Myrtle trees high-maintenance?
Because of their size, many people assume that Crape Myrtles require lots of time and effort to maintain them, but this is not true at all. These trees should be watered like any new North Texas landscaping plant just after installation, but only once a week or as needed after the rooting period. Besides basic watering, Crape Myrtles will need to be periodically pruned, which can easily be done by cutting off dead or outlying branches early on in growth and as needed throughout its maturity, which shouldn’t be more than twice a year.