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The Professional Gardener

'Red Filli' Crepe Myrtle

14 years ago

Last summer, I planted quite a number of Biltmore 'Red Filli'. The dwarf shrubs bloomed beautifully, but they have not returned as of Memorial Day. Biltmore says that they are root hardy to zone 4 (I'm in 6B). I dug one up, and there was no indication of life (yet).

Any suggestions from you folks? Wait longer? Replace them and treat'em as annuals?

Thanks,

Larry

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Comments (2)

brian_zn_5_ks
14 years ago
Well, they're certainly supposed to be hardy - they came out of Nebraska. Still, you had young plants, and we had a very dry winter, so no surprise if they didn't make it thru.

I got 30 from Greenleaf late in the season last year, August I think, and they were a late crop, small and undistinguished, and nobody bought them, and I overwintered them, and lost about 27.

So I'm not too impressed with them.

That said, the best way for us to be successful with any of the "hardy" crapes is to plant them in June, let them get well established in the heat of summer, and mostly they will pull thru the first year. Of course, most of my crapes are sold in September when people come back to the nursery to fall plant. These have a real rough time of making it.

brian
back_yard_guy
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks for the input, Brian.

Guess I'll just replant, in June this time. Last year, I transplanted them in July. They're just too pretty to give up on them.
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