The Best Crepe Myrtle Tree Varieties to Plant in North Texas

Date January 09, 2023

Category

Author TreeNewal Staff

Crepe myrtle trees are a staple for North Texas landscapes and community gardens. Their gorgeous, vibrant blooms are one of the most recognizable signs of summer in Dallas/Fort Worth. Once established, crepe myrtles are exceptionally tolerant to heat, varying soil types, and drought. They’re also relatively low maintenance, requiring routine tree care services to stay healthy and produce abundant blooms. This blog will outline the best crepe myrtle varieties to plant under North Texas conditions and how to care for them.

TreeNewal is a full-service sustainable tree care company offering residential and commercial tree services in Dallas, Argyle, Denton, Fort Worth, Flower Mound, Southlake, and Westlake. Contact our Dallas tree care specialists at (817) 592-6846 and enjoy tailored tree care advice and the best tree health services in North Texas!

Texas Crepe Myrtle 101 

Crepe myrtles or crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica) are small to medium-sized deciduous trees valued mainly for their long period of striking summer flowers. Crepe myrtle trees are characterized by their delicate, lacy blooms that can be found in dozens of shades including but not limited to, pink, lavender, white, red, and coral. Another characteristic is that crepe myrtles have exfoliating bark, peeling away to expose the trunk with handsome hues ranging from gray to grayish-brown.

Although native to East Asia, crepe myrtles have been cultivated in North America since the 18th century and have been bred into many different species and subspecies, each with unique characteristics, growth rates, colors, and more. Depending on the variety, Texas crepe myrtles can range from 3 to 30 feet in height at maturity.

To learn more about the terminology, check out our blog “Crape Myrtle vs Crepe Myrtle: Which Spelling is Correct?

The Best Crepe Myrtle Trees for Dallas/Fort Worth

Crepe myrtle trees are moderate to fast-growing and can be a low-maintenance plant. The best way to ensure this is to choose a cultivar that best suits your landscape needs before planting. Like all North Texas trees, they will need routine tree care services like tree trimming and pruning and tree nutrition for optimal plant health. When deciding which crepe myrtle to plant in your yard, you should consider its mature plant size, genetic potential or predisposition, flower color, and resistance to powdery mildew and sooty mold.

TX Crape Myrtle Varieties 

While examining 50 varieties of crape myrtles is nearly impossible in a blog post format, we’ve compiled a list of medium to tall cultivars popular in North Texas due to their hardiness, maintenance ease, and resistance to mildew. These options are fair to highly tolerant of tree fungus, making them less susceptible during spring and fall.

Medium (10 to 20 feet)

Crape Myrtle Tuskegee

  • Mature height: 15′-25′
  • Flower color: dark pink

 

Crape Myrtle Pink Velour

  • Mature height: 10’+ feet
  • Flower color: bright pink to fuchsia

Crape Myrtle Centennial Spirit

  • Mature height: 8′-12′
  • Flower color: neon red

Crape Myrtle Potomac

  • Mature height: 15′-20′
  • Flower color: clear pink

Tall (20 feet and above)

Basham’s Party Pink Crapemyrtle

  • Mature height: 25–30′
  • Flower color: light pink

Crape Myrtle Muskogee

  • Mature height: 25’+
  • Flower color: light lavender

Crape Myrtle Natchez

  • Mature height: 20′-30′
  • Flower color: white

Crape Myrtle Dallas Red

  • Mature height: 20’+
  • Flower color: light red

Crape Myrtle Dynamite

  • Mature height: 20′-25′
  • Flower color: red

Crepe Myrtle Tree Care 

While deciding which crepe myrtle is best for your landscape is based mostly on preference, caring for them shouldn’t be. North Texas crepe myrtles generally perform best in well-drained soil with full sun exposure and good air circulation. Crepe myrtle trees planted in partial or complete shade will produce fewer flowers and have increased disease susceptibility. Light applications of slow-release fertilizer, like TreeNewal’s custom blend, can be professionally applied at any time of the year. Still, Dallas crepe myrtles will benefit from applications in early spring, just before new growth begins.

For more crepe myrtle tree care tips, check out our blog “How to Care for a Crepe Myrtle Tree

Pruning Crepe Myrtle Trees 

Since pruning flowering North Texas trees can lead to more blossoms, many homeowners and amateur tree trimmers make the mistake of topping crepe myrtles. This practice, also called “crepe murder” removes all growth above a certain point to control the size of a tree that has outgrown its initial planting spot or maximize bloom yields. Crepe myrtle topping destroys the natural balance of the tree, weakens its immune responses, and creates weak branch connections prone to breaking.

In some instances, heavy pruning is required to control diseases or pests, but most crepe myrtles do not need to be pruned heavily to promote blooms. Flowers are produced on new growth, and proper pruning by a Dallas tree surgeon during the appropriate times will enable stronger new growth, leading to more flowers and improved plant health in the long run.

The best way to know if your tree needs corrective tree pruning or how to do it properly is to contact a TreeNewal ISA Certified Arborist at (817) 592-6846. Based on their comprehensive tree diagnosis, they can prescribe a maintenance plan to maximize the health and longevity of your plants.

TreeNewal DFW Tree Care Services 

While crepe myrtle trees are one of the best trees to plant in North Texas, they still need proper care and maintenance to achieve their full potential. That’s where TreeNewal comes in. Our team of ISA Certified Arborists, Dallas tree care specialists and DFW tree surgeons can help keep your trees healthy, vigorous, and sustainable through all stages of growth. From tree trimming to tree fertilization to disease and fungus management and more, we’ve got you covered. Call (817) 592-6846 to learn more about how we can improve your landscape!