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Crape Myrtles... In Search of...

13 years ago

Hoping some of you can help provide some good mail order sources? I am in search of Queens Lace, Candy Cane, Catawba (unless someone has a better suggestion for a purple?)... and your best suggestion for a true red? Dynamite? Country Red? Finally, does anyone have an experience with Cotton Candy and Hopi? I am also interested in a bright pink as well.

Thanks all...

Tropicalfreak

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Comments (8)

wmarkw
13 years ago
I got my Hopi from www.springhillnursery.com w/ a sale they had during late April. Its doing great but not sure if it will flower this year as it's little but has grown some. Its a medium pink flower according to the Clemson extension website. I found my Dynamite at a local nursery that I planted last fall; it's just now starting to flower and it's awesome looking. A deep red. Not sure if you have a Kroger in your area but mine just put out Centennial Spirit, Tuscarora and a non-named purple crape probably a Muskogee for $6.99 each.
tropicalfreak
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks Mark...

Dynamite is next on the list. I found a Peppermint Lace yesterday on ebay. Have been searching for one since seeing one in person back when I lived in central Florida.
I have seen pics of Hopi and wonder what the pink is like. I have a Magenta colored Crape. Unsure of the name. Will have to post a pic when it opens.

No Kroger's here. :)

Hoping someone will chime in about a good deep purple.

Thanks for the great info.

Cliff
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I am no expert but I had to move a Crape Myrtle across my yard. Well it died in a few years but where I dug up the bush I ended up with 20+ shoots that transplanted just fine and ended up with more than I could use in the end. So start asking around your area. Someone just might have a few of those annoying shoots that they would like removed. Make sure you get some of the root and cover the root end left to prevent another shoot from sprouting up where you removed your start. Just make sure you do not plant near your water lines and they do love to reach for water lines and can be a problem later. PS I do not have any now and no place to grow them anymore. They can become very tall if allowed to do so. I have seen them grow up in the middle of another tree and reach over 40 feet high. But with care you can keep them down to the size that works best for you, just do not prune them like some of the fools do around my area. They call it Crape Murder.
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musicalperson
13 years ago
Do you see many crapemyrtles there in fort lauderdale?
bridget helm
13 years ago
i know you didn't ask for this, but i'm putting my two cents in anyhow. check out the Natchez white. i'm a huge fan because of their shape and because they don't grow new spurts from the bottom as other myrtles do and because they are extremely disease resistant and drought tolerant. after dealing with a few types of crepe myrtles as we moved over the years, i've decided that natchez white is my favorite. it needs no TLC and what a bloomer it is!
tropicalfreak
Original Author
13 years ago
Yes, I do Musicalperson. Lot's of white's and light pinks, used along the road side , round abouts, and parking lots.

BMH,
My cousin in Louisiana feels the same as you about the Natchez. lol... I got to have color. I tried to send her a pink I started from seed and she declined..lol

CLiff
wmarkw
13 years ago
I was at my local Lowes today and they had a bunch of Crapes for sale. Natchez, Tonto, Arapahoe, Tuscora, Muskogee (purple) and a couple of others. Good size too; priced from 34.99 to 14.99. I bought a Tuscora last fall from a nice nursery for $15 and its half the size as the ones for sale at the same price at Lowes. Should have looked there last year but live and learn. These things are fast growers anyways right?
musicalperson
13 years ago
Are they planted by the DOT and stuff or do they actually carry them at nurseries?
Forestfarm is a popular and often recommended online nursery if you can't find the cultivars people are suggesting locally.
bridget helm
13 years ago
Cliff, she must be spoiled by her Natchez white like me. After all the work I had to put into the reddish and pink ones at previous homes, I refuse to plant them now that I've got the easy breezy beautiful natchez white!

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