# Crape-myrtle (*Lagerstroemia indica*) Crape-myrtle is a colorful shrub that blooms with pretty flowers in summer. It can grow tall and is often seen in gardens, adding beauty with its vibrant colors. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Urban areas - **Also known as:** Crape Myrtle, Lagerstroemia ![Crape-myrtle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Extremosa_%28Lagerstroemia_indica%29_em_um_fim_de_tarde_em_Bag%C3%A9-RS.jpg&width=800) Photo: Gabriel Collares, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Extremosa_%28Lagerstroemia_indica%29_em_um_fim_de_tarde_em_Bag%C3%A9-RS.jpg) ## Appearance The Crape-myrtle has beautiful, crinkled flowers resembling crepe paper, often in vibrant shades of pink, purple, red, or white. Its smooth, mottled bark peels away to reveal lighter colors beneath, making it stand out in gardens. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Myrtales - **Family:** Lythraceae - **Genus:** Lagerstroemia ## Interesting facts - After blooming, it grows small, round seed capsules that look like tiny berries. - In autumn, many crape-myrtle leaves turn fiery red, orange, or yellow! - It is often called the 'Lilac of the South' because of its beautiful summer blooms! - Its crinkled petals look just like colorful crepe paper, giving it its name! ## Special abilities - **Colorful Attraction:** Crape-myrtle can bloom with bright, crinkly flowers to attract many helpful insects for pollination. - **Peeling Protection:** Crape-myrtle has bark that peels off, helping it shed old skin and pesky insects. - **Sun Lover:** Crape-myrtle can thrive in very hot and sunny places, soaking up lots of energy for vibrant blooms. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 300-900 cm - **Spread:** 200-600 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-3 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer to early Fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar from its showy flowers - **Eats:** Crape Myrtle Aphid (*Tinocallis kahawaluokalani*) — sucks sap from leaves, causing honeydew - **Eats:** [Japanese beetle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/japanese-beetle) (*Popillia japonica*) — chews holes in its leaves and petals - **Pollinates:** Common eastern bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — gathers pollen and nectar for its colony ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always be gentle around plants and don't eat any parts without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Crape-myrtle? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Crape-myrtle? 300-900 cm ### How wide does Crape-myrtle spread? 200-600 cm ### How big are the flowers on Crape-myrtle? 2-3 cm ### When does Crape-myrtle bloom? Summer to early Fall ### Is Crape-myrtle edible? No ### Is Crape-myrtle toxic? None ### What is Crape-myrtle's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Shackelford County Courthouse Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/shackelford-county-courthouse-historic-district) — Texas, US · Historic District - [Grove Hill Courthouse Square Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/grove-hill-courthouse-square-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Thomasville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/thomasville-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Tifton Commercial Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tifton-commercial-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Edenton National Fish Hatchery](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/edenton-national-fish-hatchery) — North Carolina, US · Zoo - [W.J. Freeman Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/w-j-freeman-park) — Tennessee, US · Park [View all places to see Crape-myrtle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/crape-myrtle) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Crape-myrtle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crape-myrtle)