A Detailed Guide to Harvesting and Propagating Crape Myrtle Seeds

Crape myrtle flowers are fairly common in daily life. They are a flowering plant grown mainly for their blooms, which are brightly colored and richly varied, commonly including red, purple, white and so on, with the flowering period generally around June to September in summer. They are mainly distributed across southwest, south, central and east China, and are widely cultivated in various regions. So how are crape myrtle seeds harvested? What propagation methods are there? Let's take a look together below.

1. How are crape myrtle seeds harvested?

Crape myrtle seeds are generally collected when ripe from October to November. When collecting seeds, vigorous and healthy plants are usually chosen as seed trees. When a small number of fruits have split open, the capsules are harvested in the morning, then sun-dried so the fruit skins split open and release the seeds. After removing impurities, they can be bagged and stored in a ventilated, dry place. Seed collection should not be too late; if too late, the seeds fall off and are hard to collect.

Crape myrtle seeds are small and have wings at the tip. Before sowing, soak the seeds in a 0.5% potassium permanganate solution for 2 to 4 hours to disinfect and sterilize them, then remove and rinse with clean water, then soak in 30°C warm water for 10 to 20 hours, remove and drain to promote germination, rinsing with clean water 1 to 2 times a day. Be careful to keep the seed temperature within 20 to 25°C. Once 30% of the seeds have sprouted white, they can be sown.

2. What propagation methods are there for crape myrtle?

1. Seed propagation

Generally, crape myrtle flower seeds can be harvested from November to December each year, and by the following spring in February to March they can be sown in sandy loam. After sowing, crape myrtle flowers need shading. It is best to remove the flower buds of crape myrtle so that nutrients are more concentrated on trunk growth.

2. Cutting propagation

Crape myrtle cuttings are generally taken in March each spring. Hardwood branches of crape myrtle can be used, with each segment generally only needing to be about 10 cm, then inserted into the soil to a depth of 2/3.

3. Layering propagation

Crape myrtle layering is an important asexual propagation method that can effectively maintain the growth characteristics of the crape myrtle plant and its especially ornamental qualities.

(1) Hardwood layering. Before spring sprouting, collect 1-year-old strong, thick branches, cut them into cuttings about 15 cm long, and cut the lower end into a horse-hoof-shaped cut surface. Disinfect the cuttings with potassium permanganate, soak them for 30 seconds in a 0.5 g/L plant hormone combination (80% IBA + 20% NAA), then insert them into a loose, well-drained sandy loam nursery bed, leaving only 1 bud on the upper part of the cutting exposed. After inserting, water thoroughly, and cover with plastic film to keep warm and retain moisture. When the seedlings grow to 15-20 cm, the film can be opened and replaced with a shade net, and watered as appropriate.

(2) Softwood layering. This can be done in July-August. Select semi-lignified branches, cut them into cuttings 8-10 cm long, and keep 2-3 leaves at the upper end. The disinfection and rooting agent treatment of the cuttings are the same as for hardwood layering. The layering depth is 3-4 cm. After inserting, water thoroughly and set up a shed for shade. Usually rooting occurs in about 20 days, then remove the film, keep the shade net, and water as appropriate.

(4) Division propagation

Before spring sprouting or in autumn, dig out the tiller shoots sprouting from the root crown of the plant together with their roots, trim the roots and branches appropriately, and plant them separately. Small seedlings can be bare-rooted, while large seedlings should be kept with a mud ball. During care, they should be pruned and shaped regularly to maintain a beautiful tree form and promote dense, luxuriant flowering branches.

(5) Grafting propagation

From late February to the first ten days of March, carry out before the crape myrtle branches sprout. When grafting, select well-developed, strong seedlings as rootstock, take branches of the desired flower color as scion, and use the cleft grafting method. First make a vertical cut on the outer part of the rootstock top, 3-4 cm deep, then take a scion 5-8 cm long with 2-3 buds, cut it into a wedge shape, and insert it into the cleft of the rootstock, aligning the cambium. Then wrap the entire grafting site and the whole scion tightly with plastic film, exposing only the bud tip. Using this method, branches of different colors can be grafted in layers onto the same rootstock to form one tree with multiple colors. After 2-3 months of grafting, the film can be loosened. At this time the scion tip can reach 50-80 cm, so the branch tip should be cut short in time to avoid being broken by wind, and it can be cultivated into strong, thick branches.

The above is an introduction to crape myrtle. Crape myrtle has a graceful tree form, a smooth trunk, and brilliant flower colors. They can be seen along roadsides and in parks in many regions, and have extremely high ornamental value. Because of its long flowering period, crape myrtle is known as "hundred-day red," and there is also the praise "in midsummer the green blinds the eyes, this flower reddens the whole hall." It is an excellent material for bonsai grown for flowers, trunks and roots.

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