Lagerstroemia 'Sioux' - Sioux Crape Myrtle

Covered with pretty papery panicles of pink flowers; attractive exfoliating bark; heat and drought tolerance; does not like to be over-fertilized

Height: 12 feet. Spread: 10 feet. Sun: full sun to partial shade. Hardiness zone: 6b.

Ornamental features

Sioux Crapemyrtle is smothered in stunning panicles of pink frilly flowers at the ends of the branches from early to late summer. It has attractive dark green deciduous foliage which emerges coppery-bronze in spring. The oval leaves are highly ornamental and turn orange in fall.

Landscape

Sioux Crapemyrtle is a dense multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Recommended for: Accent, Mass Planting, Hedges/Screening, General Garden Use, Container Planting.

Planting and growing

Sioux Crapemyrtle will grow to be about 12 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is very fussy about its soil conditions and must have rich, acidic soils to ensure success, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.

Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder.