Colorama™ Scarlet Crape Myrtle Tree for Sale - Buying & Growing Guide

Planting and Care

by Mary Van Keuren | Gardener (30+ Years Experience) – last update on December 20, 2022

Planting instructions

Site your Colorama™ Scarlet Crape Myrtle where it will receive at least six hours of sunlight daily. Unpot your tree and tease out any encircling roots, which can wrap around the root ball and slowly kill the tree. Dig a hole that’s as deep as the root ball and twice as wide. Place the tree in the hole, spreading out the roots. Holding it upright and steady, fill in around the roots with topsoil, tamping down as you go to eliminate air pockets. Water thoroughly. Apply a two to three-inch layer of organic mulch such as bark chips around the root zone to conserve moisture and hinder weed growth but keep it from touching the trunk to avoid problems with rot.

Watering and nutrients

For the first few weeks after planting, water your crape myrtle every other day unless it’s very hot or dry outside, in which case water it daily. Once you see robust new growth appearing on the branches, you can start to scale back on the watering. A mature tree will need water from rain or supplemental watering every seven to ten days. Fertilize in early spring with a slow-release, balanced fertilizer designed for landscape trees and shrubs.

Pollination

Crape myrtle flowers are self-fertile, meaning they have both male and female reproductive organs. They are easily pollinated by the many insects, such as bees and butterflies, that are drawn to vibrant flowers. A pollinated flower leads to small seed pods in the fall.

Pruning

Prune out any dead, diseased or damaged branches whenever you see them on your crape myrtle. This tree doesn’t need additional regular pruning, but you can shape it lightly in early spring if you wish to control its height or form.

Pests, diseases, and animals

Insect pests that may appear on your Colorama™ Scarlet Crape Myrtle include crape myrtle aphids, Japanese beetles and scale insects. A healthy tree is often able to fight off infestations with no help. Releasing beneficial predatory insects such as ladybugs and lacewings can also help control insect populations. Diseases that occasionally occur on crape myrtles include powdery mildew, a fungal disease that can be controlled with the use of a fungicide and Cercospora leaf spot, which will also respond to fungicides.

Achieving maximum results

Knowing how to use the Colorama™ Scarlet Crape Myrtle in your landscape or garden is one way to achieve maximum results. As a showy ornamental tree, this cultivar would do well when planted in a visible location where it can be admired when in bloom. It can be used, for example, as a foundation planting, although keep in mind that it can reach a height of up to 20 feet and a width of 12 feet; so, space it accordingly. A grouping of three or five on a large sloping front lawn, underplanted with shade-loving perennials such as astilbes and hostas, would be spectacular. They would also be a colorful backdrop in a deep bed of mixed flowering perennials and shrubs.

Compare Similar Products