Left, the winged seeds of crape myrtle; and right, an American goldfinch feeding on crape myrtle seed. (Image courtesy Gary Graves) Each year from summer into fall, ornamental crape myrtle trees in ...

Crape myrtles, an ornamental tree popular in landscapes throughout the state of Delaware, are prized for their beauty, exfoliating bark in shades of silver and cinnamon, and long-lasting flowers in a ...

correctionIn an earlier version of this article, the last name of a Smithsonian Gardens arborist was incorrectly stated. He is Jacob Hendee, not Jacob Hender. The article has been corrected. Spring ...

Although native to eastern Asia, crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia) are almost indispensable in the Southern landscape. Their vibrantly colored flowers in shades of pink, purple, red and white from May to ...

I usually wait until mid-January to write something on this topic but this week I saw my first severe pruning of a crape myrtle for this dormant season earlier this month. So, instead of visions of ...

Crape murder is happening all over town. It doesn’t matter how horticulturists talk about proper pruning techniques, each year more and more trees are cut back to stubs. Standard crape myrtles have ...

Crape myrtles are one of the most controversial and often-discussed ornamental plants among gardeners, landscapers, conservationists, naturalists, growers, researchers and educators. How did the crape ...

Prune crape myrtles in late winter to encourage strong new growth and flower production. Avoid pruning in spring, summer, or fall to prevent cutting off new flowers and stressing the tree. Never top ...

We all enjoy the colorful blooms of flowering crape myrtles in the summer. But it’s those same trees that all too often fall victim to a misguided winter ritual known as “crape murder,” the aggressive ...