Center Stage® Red Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia)
Shrub
- Intriguing black foliage with contrasting red flowers.
- Deer resistant, heat tolerant, and easy to grow.
- Space-saving upright habit.
- Zones 6b-10, sun, 12′ tall x 8′ wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Details
Patent: PP #32,515
Common Name: Crapemyrtle, Crape myrtle, Crepe myrtle
Zone: 6b - 10
Sun Exposure: Full sun (min. 6 hrs/day).
Height x Width: 6-12' tall x 8' wide
Flower Color: Red
Foliage Color: Green
Season of Interest: Summer
Bloom time: Summer
Features: Rare & unusual, Proven Winners, heat tolerant, deer resistant
Uses: Hedge, edging, flower gardens, specimen, containers
How to Grow
Light: Full sun (6+ hrs/day).
Water: Average.
Spacing: Plant at least 8' apart.
Fertilizing: Little needed. If desired, fertilize in early spring, once the ground has thawed, with a granular rose fertilizer. A second application may be made in late spring/early summer as well.
Winterizing: A good 2-3" layer of mulch is recommended, USDA zone 6.
Maintenance & Pruning: Blooms on new wood, so can be safely pruned in spring. Dead wood can be removed in spring, once new growth has begun to emerge and it's clear where any dieback may have occurred.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.
I purchased 9 one-qt Center Stage Red Crapemyrtle bushes. They arrived in good condition (some of the leaves had dropped, but that is to be expected). I followed all of the detailed instructions provided by Great Gardins (thank you). Thus far, 2 weeks in the ground, all of the shrubs look great and have recovered from shipment shock quite well. I suspect they will perform quite well in the Spring given their current fall condition.
Plant arrived in great condition. Planted it in the Phoenix area, then when back to Iowa. Will not know for sure how it does till we go back out for the winter. It was doing great when we left.
I am a recent convert to Fall planting and the weather has been extraordinary this year. We now have two days of rain after a 7 week drought. The plants we order arrived in great condition and are doing well so far.
Nice, thank you
Plants were received in excellent condition with beautiful foliage. Packaging was well done and provides great security during shipping. Delivery was very quick. Since these are young plants I will have to wait until next season to enjoy the blossoms.
It’s doing well. Love CrapeMyrtle. They are beautiful throughout the year with beautiful barks leaves flowers. Interesting to watch them change. Love every stage.
This little fella had a rough start. I kept it indoors for a few weeks to see if it would perk up. Once I planted it the horrible heat way came along. It's doing well at this time. I hope the extra water and attention will pay off.
When is the best time to plant this? We live in Eastern PA.
Fall is a great time for planting! The rule of thumb for fall planting is to get the plants in the ground at least 6 weeks before the first hard frost in your area. If you are not sure when your average first frost is, you can find out more in our gardening article here: https://blog.greatgardenplants.com/frost-dates-explained-gardening-for-each-zone-in-spring-fall/
Are Crepe Myrtle's slow, medium or fast growing?
The Center Stage® Red Crapemyrtle is a vigorous, fast-growing plant.