Plant of the Month: Scarlet Crape Myrtle

One of the most beautiful trees you can find is the scarlet crape myrtle. The gorgeous red blooms stand out stunningly against the crape myrtle's dark green foliage. These plants do best in full sun, meaning they're perfectly suited to this climate

and wonderful for Gainesville landscaping. This deciduous plant blooms extravagantly later into the summer, producing scarlet-red flowers and attracting birds and butterflies. These plants are ideal as accents in landscaping, or in groups. There is also a dwarf variety, of which these plants can be utilized as borders or container specimens. The scarlet crape myrtle is drought tolerant and very hardy, able to withstand cold. Since it thrives in the heat, your plant will do best in well-drained soil and full sun. Here is more planting advice for your scarlet crape myrtle. When first installed, you should water this plant thoroughly, but over time you can step back and water it about once a week. You can fertilize this tree yearly, in early spring, and prune in early spring (or late winter) as well. For smaller landscapes, the dwarf variety requires very little pruning and still stands out brightly. At full-size, however, this vigorous, self-branching tree can grow 15-20 feet tall and 8-12 feet wide, and requires more attention to pruning. Pruning is important in order to maintain your desired height and shape for your scarlet crape myrtle.

However you decide to incorporate it into your Gainesville landscape design, the scarlet crape myrtle is a beautiful plant. Its gorgeous red flowers bring a blast of color to your summer, and its stately presence stands out in any yard. For helpful tips on how and where to install your own, or what would look best for your landscape, contact the friendly professionals at LawnMore!