there is only one question ... that i dont know the answer to do any CMs come true from seed?? if not... then you dont have a cultivar.. and it doesnt matter who mommy and daddy were ... though that info might give you odds on flower color ... if there are some self pollinating species.. that do come true from seed... then you MIGHT have a cultivar ... but i doubt it... because that is why they were probably a buck a piece ... its all wrapped up in the word CULTIVAR .. and its definition ... ken

bare root in tx z8 in may???? if the seller thinks it will work.. and is guaranteeing it.. go for it ... put it in the ground ... unless you have some super special knowledge of growing trees in pots .. which is hard in and of itself ... follow all instructions precisely ... and do not soak it too long ... dormant trees dont need all that much water .. but a little rehydration should not hurt.. no more than a few hours IMHO ... have the hole ready .. and plant it ASAP ... we want it in the ground when it awakens dormancy ... good luck ken

pLANT NOW. Fertilize & Keep well watered for 4-6 weeks then only water. After goes dormanmt. then cover with leaves or some other mulch. Make sure the soil is DAMP when the soil freezes.

Immobilus, I don't know what zone you're in. I am in zone 7a/7b. I root my crape myrtles in coarse construction grade sand from tip cuttings in warm weather (late spring through early fall). I mist the leaves frequently and they are usually well-rooted within 3-4 weeks. Softwood seem to do better for me. For crape myrtles I strip the bottom 3/4ths of the leaves. If the sand starts to dry out I water it as well. The coarse sand allows water to drain and the cutting is less-likely to rot, however you have to make sure to water the sand itself occassionally and don't let it dry out, it should be moist. Mostly you focus on keeping the leaves misted, that's how you keep them happy until roots can form. The moist medium is mainly so the cutting stays upright. Some successful cuttings will still lose all their leaves only to sprout new ones if a root system was able to develop. I've never tried the bag method or sticking cuttings straight into the ground unless something already has a small root attached. As for vermiculite, whenever I used to work with it I found it compressed too much and retains way too much water which again is more likely to promote rotting of the cutting. Maybe some folks have had success with it but I haven't. That was the first method I tried when I got into cutting propagation years ago. I found it to be unreliable and costly when compared to sand or some other more coarse media. Some people also use Perlite. Now if you mixed the vermiculite with something that has larger particles it might work better With crape myrtles, I have probably an average of 85 - 90% success with the sand and misting method. Depending on the time of the year and conditions sometimes I'll have 100% success with some batches. But if you do try the sand it should be coarse builder's sand to properly drain, not that really fine stuff you buy in bags at the store. Good luck, all I can say is keep trying. Danielle