Gardening 101: Crape Myrtles

NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Despite being native to China and Korea, the Crape Myrtle is the official shrub of Texas.

You can hardly walk down a street in this area without seeing one in someone's yard or in a municipal planting. They come in a range of colors and sizes and, when in full bloom during the hot summer months, are a visual force to be reckoned with. 

I'm a big fan and so are many area municipalities, several of them co-claiming the crown as the "Crape Myrtle Capitol of Texas" (McKinney, Waxahachie and Burleson just to name a few).

Once established, these trees can handle drought and heat waves with grace. In fact, you can easily over water them. They are not a plant without problems; However, problems that can be mitigated with some basic care.

First off, these plants need sunlight and lots of it. Putting them in partial shade not only dampens their vigorous bloom but makes them susceptible to disease. Because they come in a startling range of sizes (from four-to-five feet to over 30 feet) you can find the right one for that sunny spot in your yard.

Second, you need to mulch around the trunk (but not up against it) so you don't get your lawn mower or weed eater anywhere near it. Many of these shrubs get killed by damage to their trunk.

These trees do require some trimming, especially if you want them to grow into a tree shape. 

Never top the shrub (that is called "Crape Murder" and should never be done) but thin select branches to make sure it matures with a good balance of main trunks (three to five). 

You should also thin out the center of the plant some as they must have excellent air flow through the entire canopy to avoid some basic diseases. 

Do this work in the winter when the plant is dormant. 

For a complete reading on how to care for your Crape Myrtle, read garden guru Neil Sperry's "Basic Crape Myrtle Care."

In fact, if you are serious about becoming a gardener in North Texas, his book is a must have. It is how I started my education on growing plants in this region when I moved here 10 years ago.