The crepe myrtle is a favorite of many southern gardeners. (Crepe myrtle is the preferred common name in the south). The draw for this plant is that is blooms at a time when most trees are not blooming. If the plant is healthy, it will be covered with blooms that will last for months during the hottest part of the summer.

Crepe myrtles are deciduous, have a rapid growth rate, and are often seen in their multi-stemmed form. They will grow in almost any kind of soil: sand, loam or clay, although it prefers moist, well-drained soil and full sunlight. 

Crepe myrtle breeding and cultivation have produced several different colors of flowers, ranging from white to purple to every shade of red. They can be purchased for small spaces with plants that reach a mature height of 3 to 5 feet, to large shade trees reaching heights of 40 feet, and almost any size in between.