What kind of flowering tree is this?

8 years ago

We just bought a house in NJ with this tree in the yard. We were told it was rare and that it was dying. We trimmed it and it just bloomed a few weeks ago! Have no idea what it could be. Thoughts anyone?

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Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A

8 years ago

Perhaps that particular variety is a bit more unusual to find up there. Looks like Red Rocket, Siren Red, Dynamite , victory, or something else, but these are actually becoming more and more common. Crapes do leaf out late, so maybe that's why tree 'service' thought it was dead?

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Comments (14)

seedmoney
8 years ago
Crepe Myrtle
deanna1180 thanked seedmoney
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
8 years ago
next time.. ID first.. then whack on it .. lol ...

and next time.. dont be afraid of it.. get some pix of leaves with a scale.. etc ...

you got lucky on the ID with this un-rare plant ... unless that color is something rare ...

ken
deanna1180 thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
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deanna1180
Original Author
8 years ago
We actually had a tree service remove dead pines from our property and he trimmed it! He said it was completely dead and wanted to grind it down. I said lets give it one more try and it bloomed! I pretty much live in a forest so I have a lot to learn!
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
8 years ago
That's Crape myrtle.....don't trust the tree service guy again. We hate to see crape myrtles hacked on.
deanna1180
Original Author
8 years ago
Agreed! Well, the realtor said there was a rare tree somewhere on the property so maybe the landscaping guy will find it!
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
8 years ago
I was thinking just what rhizo said. Change your tree 'service' since they can't tell a dead from alive tree.
deanna1180
Original Author
8 years ago
Good point. These guys should just stick to their pines!
countrygirlsc, Upstate SC
8 years ago
You may want to remove those little ones from around the base.
deanna1180 thanked countrygirlsc, Upstate SC
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
8 years ago
so you guys are absolutely sure.. this thing could not have had some dead branches??

obviously the tree guy left the live parts.. suggesting to me.. there were some actual dead branches ...

now i might not trust with plant lore.. is the real estate seller.. crikey ... they may have thought crabgrass was an exotic looking plant.. lol ..

you can get the name of just about anything in this forum ... so lets not rely on strangers outside their specialty.. to tell you about what is in your garden ...

and.. BTW... who could have damaged this plant severely .. is the lawn service ... you need to remove a 3 to 5 foot circle of grass... and add a mulch ring.. to keep the nut with the lawnmower and weedwhip away from it .. weedwhips damage more plants than tree guys.. and real estate peeps.. and it could have happened with the prior owner ... i dont think you really know how long the dead parts were dead.. now do you???

ken
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
8 years ago
According to the OP .... 'He said it was completely dead' (my italics).The OP 'said lets give it one more try ', not the tree guy.
eaga
8 years ago
CM's can be a bit late to leaf out, at least around here which is similar to NJ in climate. My neighbor has one, and has called me over a few times to assure him that it's not dead. I dutfully snip a small branch, show him the green ring inside, and tell him to be patient. I would expect my tree guy to know such things.

They can also suffer some dieback when winters are especially cold, as we've had the last couple of years. Again, one needs to be patient and wait for buds to appear before pruning out dead branches. As for it being rare, I think that not too many years ago, they were not widely planted around here, but now they're quite popular.
earlyfig200329
8 years ago
Here on the gulf coast there are so many crepe myrtles everywhere you look. In so many gorgeous colors. Mine love to be pruned all the time. I cut off little branches that are all bloomed out and it causes new shoots to come out. Lots of people completely whack the tree at a certain level each spring. It creates a certain look I don't care for. I call it myrtlecide and I heard it can eventually cause the tree to just die.
gregbradley
8 years ago
Can't ever believe a word said by a realtor.