Students for Stewardship The Cork Board
← Back to the library

Japanese Crape Myrtle

Lagerstroemia subcostata (la-ger-STROH-mee-ah sub-koh-STAY-tuh FAR-ree-ey)

Family: Lythraceae Non-native Understory (15-40 ft)

This species of Crepe Myrtle from Yakushima Island, Japan is tree-like, has white flowers and spectacular copper-colored bark. It is one of the parent species for the "Indian Tribe" hybrids (including the very popular 'Natchez') introduced by the U.S. National Arboretum. This Crepe Myrtle is more cold hardy than L. indica but also tolerates heat. Plant in open sunny site with well-drained soil in a spacious location where the peeling copper-colored trunks will be a feature. 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: Aphids and scale can be pests. Diseases include fungal and leaf spot. The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common pests and diseases.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 49 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
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.

Often confused with Lagerstroemia limii Lagerstroemia 'Natchez'

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Tree
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
12-24 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 20 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in. | Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 19 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Multi-stemmed; Multi-trunked
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite; Whorled
Leaf size
1-3 inches long
Hairs present
No
Fall color
Gold/Yellow
Flower color
White
Flower value
Fragrant
Flower form
Panicle
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Small white flowers in loose terminal panicles
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Green
Fruit detail
The fruit is a capsule, green and succulent at first, then ripening to dark brown or black on drying.
Bark color
Light Brown
Bark detail
Attractive peeling cinnamon bark
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Japan
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn
Landscape theme
Asian Garden
Design feature
Flowering Tree; Specimen
Garden tags
#deciduous #flowering tree #specimen #white flowers #summer flowers #winter interest #exfoliating bark #full sun tolerant #interesting bark #hortcontest
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Crapemyrtle Aphid; Crape Myrtle Pest Management Calendar; Crapemyrtle Flea Beetle; Pests of Crape Myrtle; Crapemyrtle Bark Scale
Resistant to
Humidity; Salt

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.