Re: Evergreen Crepe Myrtle

The tropical species of Lagerstroemia from peninsular
Malaysia and Thailand are spectacular evergreen trees,
with magnificent large clusters of flowers, but
unfortunately are not hardy enough for mediterranean
climate conditions of California, although some such
as L. speciosa are occasionally seen in south Florida,
in USDA zone 10a/11 conditions.  I have also read that
there is a cross between L. speciosa and L. indica
that is sometimes seen in south Florida, but don't
know if it is any hardier than the straight tropical
species.  The several species that are commonly seen
in the forests of Malaysia and parks are one of my
favorite flowering trees that stand out visually in
Malaysia.

On another note, it was also interesting to see how
well L. indica cultivars survived extreme desert heat
of palace gardens in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, although
the foliage did look rather bedraggled by late fall,
and seemed to be only reluctantly deciduous, leafing
out much earlier than they do here in northern
California, as early as late February as opposed to
late April here in Berkeley. Some of the smaller shrub
cultivars of L. indica are also much used as freeway
median plantings in tropical Malaysia, where I
wouldn't have thought they would grow well.

--- Jason D <jjuania@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Lagerstroemia does contain evergreen species, but
> I'm
> not sure that any are hardy.
> Jason Dewees
> San Francisco
> 
> --- Pamela Steele <pamela@nznf.co.uk> wrote:
> 
> > Is there such a thing as an evergreen Crepe
> Myrtle?
> > 
> > Pamela Steele
> > 
> > 
> 
> 



		
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