Crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia x indica) are small flowering trees and shrubs that are native to Asia and have naturalized in the Deep South of the U.S. Back in the 1970’s thru the 1990’s, plant breeders at the U.S. National Arboretum released 35 winter hardy varieties, named after North American Indian tribes. They varied in sizes ranging from 5-foot shrubby rose-pink flowered ‘Pocomoke’ to 30-foot white flowered tree ‘Natchez’. The U.S. nursery industry followed up with 100 more varieties that fit in most landscape designs.

Crape myrtles come in a variety of tree or shrub sizes and flower colors. Many (not all) show off an ornamental patchwork bark. Before purchasing, select a variety based on mature tree/shrub size, flower color, and ornamental bark. Shop the internet or local garden center to find a hardy variety that fit into the garden space.

Plant a crape myrtle any time of year, from early spring to late summer and no later. More than 125 varieties are listed on the internet. Here are over 60 of the best arranged according to their mature height:

Miniature/Weeping: less than 3 feet tall

• Baton Rouge (red)
• Mardi Gras (purple)
• Pixie White (white)
• Pocomoke (deep pink)

Dwarf: 3 – 5 feet tall

• Berry Dazzle (GAMAD VI) (pink)
• Centennial (purple)
• Dazzle series (GAMAD I-VII)
• Petite Series (6 varieties)
• Pink Ruffles (pink)
• Tightwad (Whit V) (red)
• Velma’s Royal Delight (purple)
• Victor (dark red)

Intermediate: 5 – 10 feet tall

• Acoma (white)
• Cheyenne (red)
• Hopi (pink)
• Red Rooster (PIILAG III) (rich red)
• Siren Red (Whit VII) (red)
• Tonto (red)
• Zuni (purple)

Medium: 10 – 20 feet tall

• Apalachee (lavender)
• Black Diamond series (9 varieties)
• Burgundy Cotton (Whit VI) (white)
• Catawba (purple)
• Centennial Spirit (red)
• Comanche (pink)
• Dynamite (Whit II) (true red)
• Lipan (lavender)
• Osage (pink)
• Pink Velour (Whit III) (pink)
• Powhatan (purple)
• Raspberry Sundae (Whit I) (red/white)
• Regal Red (red)
• Seminole (pink)
• Sioux (pink)
• Tuskegee (pink)
• Yuma (lavender)

Tall: more than 20 feet tall

• Arapaho (red)
• Biloxi (pink)
• Byers Hardy Lavender (lavender)
• Byers Standard Red (red)
• Kiowa (white)
• Miami (pink)
• Muskogee (lavender)
• Natchez (white)
• Potomac (pink)
• Red Rocket (Whit IV) (true red)
• Sarah’s Favorite (white)
• Townhouse (white)
• Tuscarora (pink)
• Watermelon Red (red)
• Wichita (lavender)