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Lagerstroemia indica Rhapsody in Pink ('Whit VIII')

crape myrtle [Rhapsody in Pink]

An upright, deciduous shrub or small, multi-stemmed tree to 3m tall, with peeling, grey and brown bark and glossy, dark green leaves, purple-flushed when young. In late summer, if the weather has been hot, it produces pink flowers with crinkled petals, held in conical clusters to 20cm long. Grown against a sunny, sheltered wall and protected from frost when young it will make a stunning specimen plant in mild districts

Synonyms

Lagerstroemia indica 'Whit VIII'

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Plant nurseries
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Ultimate height

2.5–4 metres

Time to ultimate height

20–50 years

Ultimate spread

1.5–2.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Lythraceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Spreading branched
Genus: Lagerstroemia can be deciduous or evergreen trees or shrubs, with simple leaves and conical panicles of flowers with ruffled petals; some have attractive peeling bark
Name status: Trade

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in moderately fertile, well-drained soil in full sun, with the protection of a warm wall. In very cold regions grow under glass, in peat-free, loam-based potting compost in full light. Water freely during the growing season and apply a balanced liquid fertiliser every 6-8 weeks; water sparingly at other times

Propagation

Propagate by seed, softwood cuttings or semi-ripe cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Mediterranean climate plants
Patio and container plants
Conservatory and greenhouse
Wall side borders

Pruning

See pruning group 1; will withstand hard pruning

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite and glasshouse whitefly if grown indoors

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely)

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