Crapemyrtle Varieties You Should Be Growing

Crape myrtles come in a variety of size sand flower colors. Many (not all) show off an ornamental patchwork bark. Before heading to the garden center decide what flower color you want. Shop the internet or find a variety that grows (matures) to the correct height for the garden space and is winter hardy in your plant zone. Plant crape myrtles almost any time of year with spring / summer being best and fall / winter the worse seasons. 

There are over 125 varieties listed on the internet. Here is 50+ of the best:

Lagerstroemia 'Burgundy Cotton'

Miniature/Weeping: less than 3
feet tall

• Baton Rouge (red)
• Mardi Gras (purple)
• Pixie White (white)
• Pokomoke (deep pink)

Dwarf: 3 – 5 feet tall

• Centennial (purple)
• Dazzle® series (GAMAD I-VII)
• Petite Series (6) Pink Ruffles (pink)
• Tightwad (Whit V) (red)
• Velma’s Royal Delight (purple)
• Victor (dark red)

Intermediate: 5 – 10 feet tall

• Acoma (white)
• Cheyenne (red)
• Hopi (pink)
• Red Rooster (PIILAG III) (rich red)
• Siren Red (Whit VII) (red)
• Tonto (red)
• Zuni (purple)

Medium: 10 – 20 feet tall

• Apalachee (lavender)
• Black Diamond series (9)
• Burgundy Cotton (Whit VI) (white)
• Catawba (purple)
• Centennial Spirit (red)
• Comanche (pink)
• Dynamite (Whit II) (true red)
• Lipan (lavender)
• Osage (pink)
• Pink Velour (Whit III) (pink)
• Powhatan (purple)
• Raspberry Sundae (Whit I) (red/white)
• Regal Red (red)
• Seminole (pink)
• Sioux (pink)
• Tuskegee (pink)
• Yuma (lavender)

Tall: more than 20 feet tall

• Arapaho (red)
• Biloxi (pink)
• Byers Hardy Lavender (lavender)
• Byers Standard Red (red)
• Kiowa (white)
• Miami (pink)
• Muskogee (lavender)
• Natchez (white)
• Potomac (pink)
• Red Rocket (Whit IV) (true red)
• Sarah’s Favorite (white)
• Townhouse (white)
• Tuscarora (pink)
• Watermelon Red (red)
• Wichita (lavender)

Fall Blooming Toad Lilies

Toad lilies at Chanticleer Garden, Wayne, PA

Toad lilies (Tricyrtis spp.) are native to moist woodlands in India, China and Japan. They are in the lily (Lilaceae) plant family (USDA hardiness zones 4-9). Toad lilies are attractive fall-blooming shade perennials. In mid- to late September, as most perennials are finishing flowering, toad lilies are starting out. 

Three species of toad lilies, T. hirta, T. formosana, and T. macropoda are currently very popular, along with several hybrid cultivars.  Depending on species, plants grow 1 ½ to 3 feet tall. Funnel shaped orchid-like flowers come in an array of spotted colors and may be star or bell shaped.

Its plant name - “toad lily” - refers to the speckled flower colors. Planted in an ideal site, toadlilies are long-lived and require little attention. Flowers arise in the axils of the leaves and held on arching stems. 

Toad lilies prefer partial to full shade and in moist humus-rich garden soil. Under ideal conditions plants need little or no fertilizing. Feed plants lightly 1-2 times during the summer with water soluble fertilizers such as Miracle-Gro™ or Jack’s™.  Plants should be protected from the wind particularly in the southern parts of the U.S. Mulching keeps the soil moist and suppresses weeds. 

Divide roots of the toad lilies in early spring, and space new plants 2-3 feet apart.

Toad lilies are mostly untroubled by disease or pest problems. Anthracnose leaf spotting may pop up in wet summers. If so, rake up all fallen leaves and discard in late winter. In shady garden areas deer prefer hostas first, but may later turn to toad lilies. 

Top cultivars:
T. formosana - abundant purple-and-white blooms attached to 36 – 40 inch stalks. 
T. hirta ‘Miyazaki’ hybrids - superior flowering and vigorous growth.
T. macropoda  cultivars - ‘Sinonome’
Hybrids: ‘Tojen’ - unspotted lavender flowers; 'Lightning Strike' with green /gold-streaked foliage.

Crocus - An Early Start To Spring

Crocus (Crocus spp.) can be your wake-up call that winter is coming to an end (USDA hardiness zones 3- 8). They bloom in late winter (in the south); fall blooming varieties are also available. Bulbs (they're actually "corms") are available in flower colors from blue, purple, white, yellow, and mixed shades.

Choose from large and small flowered types. Six petal, cup shaped flowers stand tall above the foliage which emerges as bright green blades of grass with a center white stripe. The grassy foliage grows taller after flowers wither away.

Crocus thrive in full sun and tend to bloom earlier than those planted in partial shade. They prefer a well-drained soil with pH of 6.0 - 7.0. Crocus generally fail when sown in soggy ground.

Flower buds open to warming early morning sunlight, and close up in cloudy weather and in the evening. Crocus bloom and easily naturalize where winters are cold. Sow corms in mid-fall because they require 12-15 weeks planted in cold soil (35 - 45 °F) to initiate their blooms.

Crocus grow 3- 8 inches high depending on variety. Sow drifts of crocus in several places around the garden, under trees, sprinkled in the lawn, in alpine and rock gardens, and in containers. Interplant crocus with short growing narcissus, hyacinths and tulips, and pansies and violas. Plant them where perennials emerge in mid-spring and crocus foliage has died back.

Crocus thrive in the garden for many years. Eventually, some in the planting may decline due to virus diseases which distort the leaves and cause streaking; bloom buds may fail to open. Dig up and dispose of virus infected plants to prevent spreading diseases. Crocus are generally critter-proof, but areas overpopulated by deer, chipmunks, rabbits and squirrels may dig up corms or chew down leaves and flowers. Voles also feed on corms.

The ancient Greeks collected and dried the stigmas from autumn-flowering crocus (C. sativus) to make saffron herb used in food dishes.

Crocus may be purchased at most garden centers in the fall. For a wider choice in varieties, buy from a mail order supplier like Brent and Becky's Bulbs in Gloucester, VA. They also sell fall blooming crocus.