I have been reading the older posts about these trees. One person from sacremento wondered why people in the northeast try so hard for such trees when there are so many kinds that are nice that will grow easily there.

I will answer that as because for me, when i spent alot of time in nc near the outer banks I hardly seen one. then one day I went down to visit a family member and in the area we were at they were in full bloom everywhere and I fell in love with them. I wanted one, unfortunantly they are a southern tree which made me mad. I also fell in love with mimosas, which I heard people think of them as very messy, and invasive, but what is weird I started to see them around my neighborhood, I noticed them because of the beautiful different types of flowers.

These are large mature trees, but I did notice them in sheltered locations. anyway I decided to look up about crape myrtles too and found a site that sold more cold hardy vareities. So I bought six, 2 hopi, one zulu (I think that is the name,)One VL I CE, and one se (I think seminole).

I didn't know the tops would die, I would of protected them if they would of told me that, or if that didn't work I would dig them up and put in pots and put in the ground during the warm periods and bring into the basement when dormant, it would be no problem for me. these are dwarfs anyway. I see them do that at the zoos, put the pots in the ground to make it look like the plant is actually growing from the ground and bring them into their greenhouse in winter.

Also to add to the answer of the question why try for these out of their zones or close to it, I want to feel like I live in the south. I feel closer to the southern states. I also have a microclimate here too, It can be five or six degrees warmer here then a mile up the street, I notice the difference during the winter that it is warmer here then when I go to the outskirts of akron.

I do have a question, my crapes are coming up and are still small, would it hurt them to replant them in a large pot? when should I do that? would I shock them too much after a extra cold winter we had this year? Or can I just keep them very healthy, and wrap them up in several layers of burlap to overwinter? I thought since they are small, maybe put a large pot over them too after wrapping them to keep the cold drying air off them. will that work? I have to winterize some of my roses anyway an extra plant or two to winterize is no problem.

one of these days I plan on planting a dwarf palm like I see near the outer banks. and to that I know I need to build a mini green house that is heated, I thought maybe a solar powered battery to keep the air above freezing. these palms only grow about 10 feet at most. would that work? if not I need to know before I put all that money and work into it. It would be close to the house and on the south side. I figure plexie glass with a pointed roof and heating lights that keep it just above freezing all winter.

I know I am sounding very ambitious. I guess I have too much time and energy on my hands here. I also want these too because I get tired of the same old plants in every one's yard, everyone has the same thing BORING!!!!.

It would be nice if one street had alot of roses, another maybe ornemental grasses and another area have something like different types of decorative trees, mix it up instead of all the houses everywhere having all rhoddadendras all the same color, there are different colors. maybe less of the same azeleas. everyone has the same plants in the same color. Yuck!

I love variety, can't stand the same ole same ole. Please advise me on the crapes. I like them too since they bloom all summer once they start other trees bloom a week or two and are done. then all you have is green. we have alot that here don't need to add to it.

RR