I've lost several specimens because of damage caused by storms and a regional drought. Now I'm looking for replacements. I'm not looking to replace lost plants with similar specimens, though, since inherent problems with certain plants — wood that's too brittle, for instance — is what caused the plants to perish in the first place.
I've also been thinking about replacing a crabapple with a crape myrtle (Lagerstromea), a small tree or shrub native to Asia and Australia.
In bloom now, their crepe-paper-textured flowers occur on branched flower clusters, called "panicles" that are 6 to 8 inches long and 3 to 5 inches wide. The beautiful flowers bloom in shades of white, purple, pink and red, depending upon the variety.
Crape myrtle leaves are attractive, too. Dark-green during summer, they turn shades of red, yellow and orange during autumn, depending upon the variety.
Also depending upon the variety, crape myrtles range in height from 18 inches to 25 feet.
This time of year, crape myrtles are sold as potted plants in bloom. They do best when planted in full sun and in soil that drains freely. But choose carefully, since some varieties are more winter-hardy than others.
Unfortunately, crape myrtles are susceptible to several diseases and insect pests such as blights, black spot, aphids and Japanese beetles. The shorter types of crape myrtles, however, are easier to keep pest-free, because their small stature makes it easier to apply pesticides more efficiently.
Transplant crape myrtles as you would other plants. But whatever you do, don't let them perish. If they die during their first year, superstition has it, you risk losing love. Yet planting a crape myrtle can be worth the risk, because gardeners who have succeeded with crape myrtles really do love them.
The best way to ensure the survival of crape myrtles, then, is to keep their roots moist from now through next summer, which is good advice for any summer- or fall-transplanted specimen.
This week in the garden
The zucchinis that I sowed in June went kaput during the triple-digit heat wave, before producing any fruits. A subsequent sowing in late July, though, is producing fruit like there's no tomorrow.
Staggered sowings are a good way to guarantee a harvest. In fact, with subsequent sowings, tomorrow's harvest almost always comes.