Larry Smith and the Riverside Gardens team talk all things pots, plants and pruning in their weekly gardening column.

It seems that everywhere you look around town at the moment there is a crepe myrtle putting on a magnificent display — they are just loving this hot weather.

Crepe myrtles thrive in our hot, dry summer heat and will continue to flower for months to come, usually holding colour well into the autumn.

This display, over such a long period, is hard to beat in our region.

Having said that though, they are really a tree with year-round appeal.

After their colourful floral display throughout the summer months, they will put on a stunning show of autumn colour as their leaves turn brilliant reds, yellows and oranges before they drop to reveal their silky, smooth, mottled trunks.

Botanically known as Lagerstroemia, they derive their common name from their flowers, which have soft curly petals resembling crepe paper that are clustered together in large heads.

There are quite a few varieties within this group of plants, including a native one called Lagerstroemia archeriana from northern Australia and New Guinea, but the main ones grown around here are Lagerstroemia indica and Lagerstroemia fauriei or crosses of these two.

Crepe myrtles have long been a popular choice of small feature tree, but with the introduction of the Indian Summer Dream Tree range around 20 years ago, they really came into their own as a hardy, extremely popular small deciduous feature tree.

The Indian Summer Dream Tree collection features generally larger growing cultivars reaching from three to eight metres high, with a high resistance to powdery mildew, which was a common problem with older varieties.

These are available as low branching bushy shrubs or pruned up as single trunk upright small trees and include the following varieties:

Natchez: Probably our most popular cultivar, with clear white flowers. The ends of its branches can become pendulous when in full flower, giving a slightly weeping effect to the tree. As a single trunk tree, it will reach 6m to 8m high.

Lipan: Has masses of medium lavender coloured flowers lavender and grows to about 4m high.

Sioux: Is a narrower growing small tree to 4m high, with masses of intense hot pink flowers.

Tonto: A smaller grower to about 3m high, with bright fuchsia pink to reddish coloured flowers.

Tuscarora: Another of the taller ones, growing to 6m with dark, fuchsia-pink flowers with yellow stamens.

Zuni: Has masses of pinkish-lavender coloured flowers to about 4m high.

Biloxi: A tough small tree to 4m high, with soft pale pink flowers.

Acoma: A multi-stemmed shrub with semi-pendulous branches and white flowers, growing to about 3m high.

In more recent years, the Diamonds in the Dark collection was released and has become popular as well, although we have found it to not be as resistant to powdery mildew.

Given that though, the plants are still well worth growing as they feature almost black foliage to contrast against their masses of flower.

They grow to about 3m high by 2m wide, with an upright, compact growth habit.

Planting in an open airy space will help limit the chances of powdery mildew.

We have found that Red Hot, Blush, Purely Purple, Pure White and Best Red are the most sought-after in this collection.

In the Garden Centre we also have a few Lagerstroemia standards that are looking amazing in their full flower.

These are dwarf cultivars that have been grafted on to 1.5m high clear stems, giving them a lovely topiary appearance.

We have Lagerstroemia New Orleans with dark purplish pink flowers and Lagerstroemia World Fair with dark pink to red flowers.

When fully grown, these standards will reach about 2.5m high with tight round heads.

Crepe myrtles make ideal small feature trees or shade trees in the home garden, but can also be used in their shrub form set in among other plants in the garden.

They are now quite often also found as street trees where they make a vibrant stunning avenue that requires very little maintenance.

Being such a hardy, showy plant that thrives in our area, it is no wonder that crepe myrtles are turning up everywhere in gardens right across the Goulburn Valley.

Being such a versatile plant in all its forms and with such a stunning display of colour, they are very hard to miss.

If you are out this way anytime soon, have a wander out into the nursery and look at the range of colours available, they are a standout among the other trees.

While you are there, be sure to check out the crepe myrtle lawn area in our golf gardens — the Natchez are in full flower and the rest are about to open. The display is going to be amazing.

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Monday, 15th February 2027

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