Add color to summer: How to care for your crape myrtle [Master Gardener column] | Home & Garden

Though springtime in Lancaster County is greeted by a spectrum of blooming trees and shrubs, late-summer color can be hard to come by. Fortunately, in Lancaster County, we can grow crape myrtle, a shrub that blooms from late July into September. Crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica) sport bunches of frilly, crepe-paper-like flowers on the tips of their branches in shades of white, pink, red and lavender. As a bonus, their leaves are colorful in fall and their exfoliating bark adds winter interest.

Crape myrtle growing requirements

Crape myrtles are native to Japan, southern China and Southeast Asia. They have long been popular in the southeastern United States, and their ability to survive in Lancaster County is aided by the fact that our climate has been gradually warmer.

(The 2023 U.S. agriculture department Plant Hardiness Zone Map now designates almost all of Lancaster County as zone 7 instead of zone 6.)

Crape myrtles require full sun and prefer moist, well-drained soil, especially when becoming established. Because they are native to warmer climate zones, crape myrtles should be planted in protected areas, such as the south side of a wall or house.

READ: Growing linen: Watch how this Lancaster County class took flax from field to fabric

How to prune crape myrtles

Despite their beauty, crape myrtles are also known for a bad pruning practice dubbed “crape murder.” Some crape myrtles grow 30 feet high, and, in an effort to shoehorn them into a landscape, they often have all their branches cut off at a prescribed height, leaving stubby branches with unsightly knobs at the ends. Instead of being severely cropped, prune crape myrtles in late winter by eliminating crossing branches and cutting the tallest branches back to a union with the trunk or a thicker branch. Fortunately, plant breeders have developed short and dwarf varieties of crape myrtle for those who do not have room for a large specimen.

Crape myrtle concerns

Die-back from cold winter temperatures is usually the biggest problem for crape myrtles in Lancaster County. Leaf spots and mildew can also affect crape myrtles. Gardeners should keep an eye out for a new pest that has been making its way north — crape myrtle bark scale. These tiny insects feed on fluid in the trunks and branches of crape myrtles, causing a decline in foliage and blooms.

Crape myrtle bark scale insects also excrete sticky honeydew, which is a favorable environment for unsightly black mold.

Our Garden Hotline is happy to help with questions about crape myrtle selection, health and pruning; please contact us at LancasterMG@psu.edu or 717-394-6851.

Join us for a free workshop

On Saturday, July 26, at 10 a.m., join Penn State Master Gardeners for a workshop, “Make Ribbon-Winning Floral Arrangements for the Fair.” The event will provide tips on maximizing visual impact, keeping arrangements fresh and more blue-ribbon-winning tips. The workshop will be held at the Farm and Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster. Space is limited; to register, please visit extension.psu.edu/make-ribbon-winning-floral-arrangements-for-the-fair.

Lois Miklas is a Penn State Master Gardener for Lancaster County, and a former area Master Gardener coordinator.

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