33)+Crepe+Myrtle

=Crape Myrtle=

//Genus species - Lagerstromia indica// Family - Lythraeceae

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Family characteristics:

 * Leaves are typically found in pairs and petals are characteristically crumpled-looking. Petals generally stem from a calyx tube. The family is comprised, mainly, of herbs; but also includes some shrubs and trees. **

Size:
Crape Myrtle can be pruned to adjust overall size and shade. Naturally they are 10 to 30 feet in height and have a spread of 15 to 25 feet. Although, smaller cultivars called dwarfs have been genetically engineers.

Identifying features:
// Lagerstromia indica // is popular in urban and suburban areas due to its' showy flowers, and moderately high drought level. Crape Myrtle leaves are simple, elliptic in shape, opposite and subopposite, and pinnate from the stem. They are, at most, approximately four inches in length. Bark is easily stripped and therefore tends to peel as the tree grows. Crape Myrtle can be described as both herbaceous and woody. Flowers are showy and range in color from purples, reds, whites, and pinks. Bloom season is long, from late spring, through the summer, and into fall. Its fruit is indehiscent and does not attract animals.

Location/Habitat:
// L. indica // thrives in a myriad of soil conditions such as: clay, loam, acidic, sand, alkaline, and well-drained soils. Almost any soil in which high moisture is absent should provide a suitable environment, resulting in a possibility of survival in numerous countries worldwide and almost half of the United States. It can be found in hardiness zones 7-9; meaning it can survive in 0-35 degrees Celsius during winter. Crape Myrtle is able to survive in soil with pH levels of 5.1 to 6.5. Aphids are commonly found on newly planted trees and cause unattractive yet innocuous to grow on leaves. A common, but largely harmless, disease found in Crape Myrtle is Powdery Mildew.

Water/Sun Requirements:
Crape Myrtle thrives in full sun, but can also exist in partial sun. // L. indica // has moderately high drought levels, meaning it can survive not receiving water longer than many other plants.

Reproduction:
Crape Myrtle can asexually reproduce through cuttings. To do this, cut a stem of the plant and place it into soil; soil should be misted and within 8 to 15 weeks roots should begin to form. Cutting should take place in spring or summer. If using seeds, planting should take place in spring. // L. indica // produces a small, round, brown indehiscent fruit that has a hard, dry covering that does not attract animals. Therefore, in this case, animals are not a method of seed dispersal. // L. Indica // contains both male and female reproductive anatomy, making it monoecious. Crape Myrtle are monecious, meaning that the flowers contain both male and female reproductive partrs. It is classified as an angiosperm, and furthermore a dicot. It is flowering plant whose seed is protected by an ovule, making it an angiosperm. That seed within the ovule contains two cotyledons, making it a dicot.

Additional Information:
Flowers of some species can stain car paint, so be weary when selecting and planting Crape Myrtle in parking lots!

Evaluation of DaVinci Plant:
Because bloom season for Crape Myrtle is late spring to fall, the plant on campus is not currently flowering. It is approximately 11 feet in height and 6 feet in its spread. The leaves range in length from 1 cm to 1 inch and are light green with brown-red veins; which creates a brown tint on the leaves. The bark is best described in color as grey-brown and smooth. Although, some patches of bark have been scraped off, revealing greener bark. There are multiple Crape Myrtle trees in the parking periphery. They share the growing area with a smaller, flowering bush known as Indian Hawthorne.

Sources:
Gilman, Edward F., and Dennis G. Watson. //Lagerstroemia Indica: Crape Myrtle//. 1993. Print. []. [] []

Created by: Katherine W