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Osage Crape Myrtle

Lagerstroemia (la-ger-STROH-mee-ah)

Family: Lythraceae Unknown Understory (15-40 ft)

Osage Crape Myrtle is a hybrid small weeping flowering tree that has attractive red fall color and good drought tolerance. It works well in urban areas like sidewalks and parking lots. Or it makes an excellent specimen or large container plant. Pruning should be completed in winter or early spring, as this plant blooms on new wood. A layer of organic mulch will help keep the plant retain moisture. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common crape myrtle pests and diseases. More information on Lagerstroemia .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 44 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 2 - Understory (15-40 ft) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Cercis canadensis subsp. texensis 'Traveller' Stewartia malacodendron Stewartia monadelpha

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Shrub; Tree
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Mature size
Height: 12 ft. 0 in. - 18 ft. 0 in. | Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Open; Weeping
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Oblong; Obovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
1-3 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
2"-4" long green leaves with excellent red fall color
Fall color
Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Pink; Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Panicle
Flower detail
Flower color varies white, pink, red, or lavender with ruffled crinkled appearance. 6"-12" long panicals appear on branch times in spring and summer.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
Brown, oval dehisent dry capsule
Bark detail
Showy smooth peeling bark
Stem color
Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Thin red twigs with new growth
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Lawn; Patio
Design feature
Border; Specimen; Street Tree
Garden tags
#flowering tree #deciduous shrub #weeping #deciduous #slow growing #drought tolerant #interesting bark #street tree #summer flowers #small tree #specimen #showy flowers #fall interest #pink flowers #winter interest #deciduous tree #urban conditions tolerant #fall color red
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Crapemyrtle Aphid; Crape Myrtle Pest Management Calendar; Crapemyrtle Flea Beetle; Pests of Crape Myrtle; Crapemyrtle Bark Scale
Resistant to
Drought; Urban Conditions

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.