RE: Lagerstroemia in coastal central California

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The US National Arboretum lagerstroemias are beautiful.  There is no information on whether they require heat to do well, though.

Coastal coolness just doesn't suit a number of plants.  I have learned to avoid any that nurseries and seed catalogues describe as doing well in hot humid conditions.  I'm the one with a 25 year old Catharanthus that has never flowered, bought as seed from Parks when it was still called Vinca rosea. It is a handsome, shiny-leaved shrub. Cannas are foliage plants also, although I can remember one year when one in the greenhouse did have a flower.  My Tiger Eye sunflowers finally started to bloom last week.

Aha!

I just searched the site and found the relevant information, in the FAQs, two sentences about the summer buried in a whole screenful about winter hardiness. It might be worth trying one against a south-facing wall in a mild-winter area.

 (in the north) Avoid planting against south-facing walls which hold and radiate heat and may cause premature breaking of dormancy during brief winter warm spells.  Crapemyrtles are heat loving shrubs, and may not bloom well in cool climates.  ..........Remember that they need plenty of summer heat to bloom well.

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Diane Whitehead  Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
maritime zone 8
cool mediterranean climate (dry summer, rainy winter - 68 cm annually)
sandy soil