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'''Crape myrtle''' (genus '''''Lagerstroemia''''') is a non-native flowering evergreen which is recognized as the official tree of [[Birmingham]].
'''Crape myrtle''' (genus '''''Lagerstroemia''''') is a non-native flowering evergreen which is recognized as the official tree of [[Birmingham]].


The genus includes about fifty individual species native to Southeast Asia, India and the Pacific, many of which are cultivated as ornamental trees in the United States. The scientific name, ''Lagerstroemia'', honors Swedish merchant Magnus von Lagerström, who collected plants for botanist Carolus Linnaeus.
The genus includes about fifty individual species native to Southeast Asia, India and the Pacific, many of which are cultivated as ornamental trees in the United States. The most popular commercial species are '''''Lagerstroemia indica''''' ('''common crape myrtle'''), which was introduced to South Carolina in the late 18th century by French botanist André Michaux, and '''''Lagerstroemia fauriei''''' ('''Japanese crape myrtle'''), which is hardier but less colorful. It is often used to create hybrids with ''L. indica''.  


The trees are favored for their sprays of bold flowers in white, light or deep pink or purple, which last for much of the summer. Their crinkled petals resemble crêpes or crepe paper ("Crape" and "crepe" are both Anglicizations of the French "crêpe". The first has been generally accepted for ''Lagerstroemia'')
The scientific name, ''Lagerstroemia'', honors Swedish merchant Magnus von Lagerström, who collected plants for botanist Carolus Linnaeus. The common name derives from the crinkled petals which resemble crêpes or crepe paper "Crape" and "crepe" are both Anglicizations of the French "crêpe". The American Joint Committee on Horticultural Nomenclature uses the compound "'''Crapemyrtle'''" to distinguish the tree from true myrtles of the genus ''Myrtus''.


A wide range of sizes are cultivated, with some specimens capable of reaching over 100 feet tall. Most species grow with multiple trunks wrapped in smooth paper-like bark which sheds irregularly, giving the trunk a light-colored mottled appearance. The simple leaves also vary in size, from 2 to 8 inches in length, with some varieties changing color in the autumn months.
The trees are favored for their clustered sprays of bold 1-2 inch flowers in white, light or deep pink or purple, which last for much of the summer. They are also appreciated for their adaptability to a range of landscaping requirements.


A wide range of sizes are cultivated, from 3-5 foot dwarfs to large varieties reaching up to 40 feet. Some specimens, though, are capable of reaching over 100 feet tall. Most species grow with multiple trunks wrapped in smooth paper-like bark which sheds irregularly, giving the trunk a light-colored mottled appearance. The simple leaves also vary in size, from 2 to 8 inches in length, with some varieties sporting burgundy colors on new leaves, and others changing color in the autumn months. The capsule-like fruit ripens from green to dark brown, then splits along outer seams to release small, winged seeds.


<!--==Description==
In the early 1960s, [[Birmingham Crape Myrtle Association]] planted thousands of the trees, donated by [[Oliver Frazer]], across the Birmingham area, with the group focusing on college campuses, schoolyards, church lawns and [[Messer Airport Highway]]. According to
The fruit is a capsule, green and succulent at first, then ripening to dark brown or black dryness. It splits along six or seven lines, producing teeth much like those of the calyx, and releases numerous, small, winged seeds.
the Association's president, [[Raymond Hurlbert]], the fact that the crape myrtle blooms in July, August and September, its prevalent use could render Jefferson County "the most beautiful area of the nation at that time when most other plants are past their blooming stage." At his request, and by the motion of [[Don Hawkins]], the [[Birmingham City Council]] unanimously designated the crape myrtle as Birmingham's "official tree", and also proclaimed the city to be the "Crape Myrtle Center of the Nation" in March [[1964]].


In their respective climates, both subtropical and tropical species are common in domestic and commercial landscapes. The [[lumber|timber]] of some species has been used to manufacture bridges, furniture, and railway sleepers,<ref>[http://www.woodworkerssource.com/online_show_wood.php?wood=Lagerstroemia%20spp. Woodworkers Source: Pyinma.]</ref> but in Vietnam's [[Cat Tien National Park]], the dominant stands of ''[[Lagerstroemia calyculata]]'' in secondary forest are thought to have survived (after episodes of logging) due to the low quality of wood.<ref>Blanc L, Maury-Lechon G, Pascal J-P (2000) Structure, floristic composition and natural regeneration in the forests of Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam: an analysis of the successional trends. ''Journal of Biogeography'', '''27''': 141–157.</ref> ''Lagerstroemia'' species are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] (moth and butterfly) species including ''[[Endoclita]] malabaricus''.
A crape myrtle garden was planted at the [[Birmingham Botanical Gardens]] in [[1971]]. Crape myrtles continued to be planted as street trees in many Birmingham neighborhoods, often alternating with [[Bradford pear tree]]s. By common practice, ornamental crape myrtles are often pruned back severely in the winter, sometimes to the trunk. This practice, for which there is no botanical justification, has been criticized as "crape murder".


The leaves of ''L. parviflora'' are fed on by the ''[[Antheraea paphia]]'' moth which produces the tassar silk (''[[tussah]]''), a form of [[wild silk]] of commercial importance in India.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/ab598e/AB598E13.htm|title= Non-wood forest products In 15 countries of Tropical Asia|publisher=fao.org|accessdate=30 January 2012}}</ref>
Though they are non-native exotic plants, crape myrtles do not readily self-propagate and are not listed by the Alabama Invasive Plant Council.


==References==
* Olmsted, Frederick Law, Frederick V. Coville & Harlan P. Kelsey (1923) ''[http://archive.org/details/standardizedplan00amer Standardized Plant Names: A Catalogue of Approved Scientific and Common Names of Plants in American Commerce]''. Salem, Massachusetts: American Joint Committee on Horticultural Nomenclature
* "[http://bplonline.cdmhost.com/digital/collection/BPLSB02/id/3330/rec/7 Birmingham is Declared U. S. Crape Myrtle Center]" (March 4, 1964) {{BPH}} - via {{BPLDC}}
* Moore, Lincoln M. & Jeffrey D. Walker Wilson (June 8, 2003) "[http://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/pg_lain.pdf Crape Myrtle]" U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Guide
* Bender, Steve (February 2007) "Stop! Don't Chop Crepe Myrtles!" ''Southern Living''


The '''common crape myrtle''' (''Lagerstroemia indica'') from China and Korea was introduced ''circa'' 1790 to [[Charleston, South Carolina]], in the United States by the  French [[botanist]] [[André Michaux]].  In the wild, the species is most often found as a multistemmed large shrub, but 200 years of cultivation have resulted in a huge number of cultivars of widely varying characteristics. Today, crape myrtle varieties can fill every landscape need, from tidy street trees to dense barrier hedges to fast-growing dwarf types of less than two feet, which can go from seed to bloom in a season (allowing gardeners in places where the plant is not winter-hardy to still enjoy the intense colors of the frilly flowers). In Europe, crape myrtle is common in the south of France, the [[Iberian Peninsula]] and all of Italy; in the United States, it can be seen anywhere south of [[Hardiness zone#U.S. Cities hardiness zones|USDA zone 6]], doing best and avoiding fungal diseases in mild climates that are not overly humid, such as inland [[California]] and [[Texas]].
==External links==
 
* [http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1083/ANR-1083.pdf Common Crapemyrtle (ANR-1083)] (2003) Alabama Cooperative Extension System
While not as widely known, the '''Japanese crape myrtle''', ''L. fauriei'', from central and southern Japan is becoming increasingly important, both as a landscaping plant and as a parent in complex hybrids with ''L. indica''. This species is distinctly tree-like, with colorful deciduous bark and dark green leaves which are more resistant to fungal diseases than are those of its more popular relative. The Japanese name for this tree is {{Nihongo||猿滑、百日紅|''saru suberi''|literally "monkey slip", latter spelling ''[[ateji]]''}} which refers to the smooth, slippery bark. Flowers are as large as those of ''L. indica'', but are white with only the slightest pink flush appearing in some individuals. Japanese crape myrtle is hardier to cold than many strains of ''L. indica'', a characteristic (along with fungal resistance, tree form and colorful bark) that makes it valuable as genetic material for hybridization. Cultivars available include 'Kiowa', 'Fantasy' and 'Townhouse'.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/trees-new/lagerstroemia_fauriei.html|title=Trees: Lagerstroemia fauriei|publisher=www.ces.ncsu.edu
|accessdate=2008-01-07}}</ref>
 
''L. speciosa'', known as queen crape myrtle, giant crape myrtle, or ''banabá'', originates in subtropical and tropical India. It can be grown in any similar climate, but in the United States is suitable only for southern [[Florida]], southernmost Texas, southern California, and [[Hawaii]]. It is a large evergreen tree with colorful rosy-mauve flowers and striking white bark, suitable for public parks and avenues; only the seed-grown species is commonly available for sale, unlike ''L. indica'' and ''L. fauriei'', which have dozens of cultivars.-->
 
==References==
*


[[Category:Trees]]
[[Category:Trees]]
[[Category:Symbols of Birmingham]]

Latest revision as of 16:20, 4 September 2017

Crape myrtle (genus Lagerstroemia) is a non-native flowering evergreen which is recognized as the official tree of Birmingham.

The genus includes about fifty individual species native to Southeast Asia, India and the Pacific, many of which are cultivated as ornamental trees in the United States. The most popular commercial species are Lagerstroemia indica (common crape myrtle), which was introduced to South Carolina in the late 18th century by French botanist André Michaux, and Lagerstroemia fauriei (Japanese crape myrtle), which is hardier but less colorful. It is often used to create hybrids with L. indica.

The scientific name, Lagerstroemia, honors Swedish merchant Magnus von Lagerström, who collected plants for botanist Carolus Linnaeus. The common name derives from the crinkled petals which resemble crêpes or crepe paper "Crape" and "crepe" are both Anglicizations of the French "crêpe". The American Joint Committee on Horticultural Nomenclature uses the compound "Crapemyrtle" to distinguish the tree from true myrtles of the genus Myrtus.

The trees are favored for their clustered sprays of bold 1-2 inch flowers in white, light or deep pink or purple, which last for much of the summer. They are also appreciated for their adaptability to a range of landscaping requirements.

A wide range of sizes are cultivated, from 3-5 foot dwarfs to large varieties reaching up to 40 feet. Some specimens, though, are capable of reaching over 100 feet tall. Most species grow with multiple trunks wrapped in smooth paper-like bark which sheds irregularly, giving the trunk a light-colored mottled appearance. The simple leaves also vary in size, from 2 to 8 inches in length, with some varieties sporting burgundy colors on new leaves, and others changing color in the autumn months. The capsule-like fruit ripens from green to dark brown, then splits along outer seams to release small, winged seeds.

In the early 1960s, Birmingham Crape Myrtle Association planted thousands of the trees, donated by Oliver Frazer, across the Birmingham area, with the group focusing on college campuses, schoolyards, church lawns and Messer Airport Highway. According to the Association's president, Raymond Hurlbert, the fact that the crape myrtle blooms in July, August and September, its prevalent use could render Jefferson County "the most beautiful area of the nation at that time when most other plants are past their blooming stage." At his request, and by the motion of Don Hawkins, the Birmingham City Council unanimously designated the crape myrtle as Birmingham's "official tree", and also proclaimed the city to be the "Crape Myrtle Center of the Nation" in March 1964.

A crape myrtle garden was planted at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens in 1971. Crape myrtles continued to be planted as street trees in many Birmingham neighborhoods, often alternating with Bradford pear trees. By common practice, ornamental crape myrtles are often pruned back severely in the winter, sometimes to the trunk. This practice, for which there is no botanical justification, has been criticized as "crape murder".

Though they are non-native exotic plants, crape myrtles do not readily self-propagate and are not listed by the Alabama Invasive Plant Council.

References

External links

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