Is crape myrtle a deciduous tree or an evergreen tree?

Crape myrtle, aliases: itchy flower, itchy tree, purple gold flower, purple orchid flower, mosquito flower, Western water myrtle, hundred-day red, barkless tree. Its flowers are brilliantly colored, and it blooms right during the summer and autumn season when few flowers are in bloom, with a long flowering period, hence the name “hundred-day red”. So, is crape myrtle a deciduous tree or an evergreen tree?

1. Is crape myrtle deciduous or evergreen

Crape myrtle is a deciduous shrub or small tree, reaching a height of up to 7 m; the bark is smooth, gray or grayish brown; the branches and trunk are mostly twisted, and the twigs are slender, with leaves alternate or sometimes opposite; the flowering period is from June to September, and the fruiting period is from September to December. It is an excellent material for bonsai for viewing flowers, trunks, and roots.

2. Distribution of origin

It grows or is cultivated in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Fujian, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Hubei, Henan, Hebei, Shandong, Anhui, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Jilin in China. It is native to Asia and widely planted in tropical regions.

3. Growth habits

Crape myrtle prefers a warm, humid climate, likes light, is slightly tolerant of shade, likes fertilizer, and especially prefers deep, fertile sandy loam. It thrives in places with slight moisture, is also drought-tolerant, and dislikes waterlogging. It should not be planted in low, wet places with a high groundwater level. It is fond of warmth and can resist cold, with strong sprouting ability.

Crape myrtle also has a relatively strong ability to resist pollution, with relatively strong resistance to sulfur dioxide, hydrogen fluoride, and chlorine gas. It is semi-shade tolerant, likes to grow in fertile, moist soil, and can also tolerate drought. It grows well in either calcareous soil or acidic soil.