Please don't confuse...

Lagerstroemia speciosa is not the common Crape Myrtle

You are in for a special treat...

Here is a "Top 5" "Most Beautiful Tree in the World" ......the striking and marvelous Queen's Crape Myrtle

Other names include:

• Pride of India
• Queen's Flower
• Banaba

Banaba is the name in the Philippines where the main interest is herbal tea.  Dried leaves are mixed with water for diabetes.  There are many claims e.g. this page

But back to the subject ...flowers

Intense lavender-pink flowers of Queen's Crape Myrtle are displayed in sprays 5-6 inches wide and 12-15 inches long blooming profusely during June, July and often also August

Those are great months to have this stunning flowering tree when so many other early bloomers are finished

click pic to enlarge

The first one we ever saw was in 1977 at the entrance of an orchid nursery.   It was breathtaking in the amount of blooms and the intensity of the colors.   Lavender-lilac is what we saw but the tree can vary in tones of pink, purple and purple-pink

Rated tall, but we never see tall in Florida --- more like 25-30 feet in South Florida.  This is a zone 10 tree but can be grown in pots

Queen's Crape Myrtle is commonly grown as a prized bonsai tree in the orient

Locally here in Florida, most Queen's Crape Myrtle we see are fairly young and look a lot like this one below...

click pic to enlarge

Queen's Crape Myrtle also displays brilliant color in the fall.  After the first cold snap, all the leaves turn an intense vivid red

The leaves hold bright red on the branches until winter, then usually fall off. Here are leaves beginning to turn in color to red

click pic to enlarge

The tree is deciduous in late winter (...and it seems all the best bloomers are)

Folks write in asking questions about the common Crape Myrtle, but this is not the same tree at all.  Queen's Crape Myrtle is larger and vastly more beautiful than ordinary Crape Myrtle

Queen's Crape Myrtle trees also like to grow wide so it is an excellent choice for a specimen shade tree.  Below is a young specimen showing it wants to grow wide

click pic to enlarge

Queen's Crape Myrtle is proven successful in many areas including urban areas with air pollution, poor drainage, compacted soil and where drought is common or frequent.  Of course, YOU would want to provide decent soil and reasonable water

Queen's Crape Myrtle needs frost protection, but is virtually pest free, disease free and ground roots are not an issue.   After being established, Queen's Crape Myrtle is also extremely drought tolerant, but not salt tolerant

click pic to enlarge

To grow your own Queen's Crape Myrtle

1. Highly drought resistant after one year
2. Most any soil is fine, including alkaline
3. Pest free, disease free
4. Incomparable long-lasting purple-pink summer flowers
5. Gorgeous vivid red leaves in fall
6. Excellent shade tree in your landscape
7. In pots for bonsai treatment
8. Unusual to see ...very exclusive

Queen's Crape Myrtle plants now on hand for you today are very nice, growing fast and happy

To pay by check, please click here