Home Flower Identifier Flower Details
Crepe Myrtle
🌸

Crepe Myrtle

Lagerstroemia indica

Basic Details
Description
Floral Formula
Features
Translations
Related

Basic Details

NameCrepe Myrtle
DescriptionBeloved deciduous shrub or small tree renowned for its profuse summer blooms with distinctive crinkled petals resembling crepe paper, blooming continuously from late spring through fall in shades of pink, purple, red, or white. Equally valued for stunning exfoliating bark that peels to reveal smooth, mottled surfaces in cinnamon, gray, and cream tones, providing year-round visual interest. Native to Asia, thrives in hot, sunny climates with excellent drought tolerance once established, offering vibrant fall foliage and architectural form making it a southern landscape staple.
FamilyLythraceae
GenusLagerstroemia
TribeLagerstroemium

Floral Formula & Features

Floral FormulaEBr ⊕ ☿ K(4-6) C4-6 A∞ G(4-6)

Ebracteate (no bracts), Actinomorphic (radially symmetrical), bisexual, 4-6 fused sepals forming tube, 4-6 free clawed petals, numerous stamens inserted on calyx tube, 4-6 fused carpels with superior ovary

Features
  • Name 'Crepe/Crape Myrtle' from crinkled, ruffled petals resembling crepe paper. 'Lagerstroemia' honors Magnus von Lagerström, Swedish merchant who introduced plant to Europe. 'Indica' means from India. About 50 Lagerstroemia species. Same family (Lythraceae) as pomegranate
  • Showy panicles 6-12 inches (15-30 cm) long with numerous 1-1.5 inch (2.5-4 cm) flowers. Each flower has 6 crinkled petals with clawed bases. Colors include white, pink, lavender, purple, red, magenta. Blooms on new growth from June-September. Long blooming period of 60-120 days
  • Deciduous shrub or small tree with multiple trunks. Exfoliating bark peels in thin sheets revealing smooth, mottled surface in cinnamon, gray, cream, pink. Leaves oval, 1-4 inches (2.5-10 cm) long, emerge bronze, mature to dark green, turn yellow-orange-red in fall
  • Size varies by cultivar: dwarf 2-3 feet (60-90 cm), medium 6-12 feet (2-4 m), standard 15-25 feet (5-8 m) tall. Lifespan 50+ years. Propagated by seeds, cuttings, or grafting. Fast-growing, adds 1-2 feet per year when young
  • Native to Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, China, Japan, Korea, northern Australia. Introduced to Europe 1700s, North America 1790s. Now widely cultivated in warm temperate and subtropical regions worldwide. Naturalized in southern United States
  • Requires full sun (6+ hours) for best flowering. Thrives in hot, humid climates. Prefers moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil but adapts to various soils. Drought-tolerant once established. Hardy zones 6-10 depending on cultivar. Heat zones 1-12
  • Excellent for summer color when few trees bloom. Attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds. Deer resistant. Used as street trees, specimens, hedges, containers. Modern cultivars resistant to powdery mildew. Prune in late winter for shape and flowering
  • Deadhead spent blooms to encourage rebloom. Fertilize in spring. Water deeply during establishment and drought. Remove suckers from base. Avoid heavy pruning (crepe murder) - light shaping only. Watch for aphids, Japanese beetles, powdery mildew in humid areas

Names in Different Languages

Latin / ScientificLagerstroemia indica
English (Alternate)Furush, Lagerstroemia,Crape Myrtle, Crepeflower, Queen Flower, Pride of India, Banabá
Hindiसावनी (Sawani), सावना (Saona), जरुल (Jarul)
Tamilபூமருது (Poomaruthu), கதலி (Kadali)
Teluguసొగసులచెట్టు (Sogasulachettu), చెన్నంగి (Chennangi), వారగోగు (Varagogu)
Malayalamമണിമരുത് (Manimaruthu) or പൂമരുത് (Poomaruthu), അടന്പു (Adambu), ചോളവെണ്ടെക്ക് (Cholaventekku), നിർമരുത് (Nirmaruthu)
Kannadaಹೊಳೆ ದಾಸವಾಳ (Hole Dasavala), ಹೊಳೆದಚಳ್ಳ (Holedachalla), ಮರುವಾಚಲುಮರ (Maruvachalumara), ನಂದಿ (Nandi)
Sanskritसिद्धेश्वर (Siddheshvara), संयदन (Syandana)
Bengaliফুরুস (Phurush), জারুল (Jarul)
Frenchlilas des Indes
Russianкреповый мирт (kre-poh-vyy miirt), индийская сирень (in-dee-y'ska-ya si-rén')
Spanishcrespón and mirto crespón, mirto crespo
GermanIndischer Flieder, Lagerstroemie

What is Floral Formula?

A floral formula is a symbolic representation of a flower's structure using letters, numbers, and special symbols. It provides a concise way to describe the arrangement and number of floral parts.

Example Formula
% K(6) C1+2+(2) A(9) G2

This formula describes the flower's symmetry, sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels in a standardized format.

Formula Sequence

  • Bract: Br or Ebr
  • Bracteole: Brl or Ebrl
  • Symmetry: % (Radial) or ⊕ (Bilateral)
  • Sex: ♀ (Female), ♂ (Male), or ⚥ (Bisexual)
  • Calyx/Sepal: K<number> (Free or Fused)
  • Corolla/Petal: C<number> (Free or Fused)
  • Androecium: A<number> (Free or Fused)
  • Gynaecium: G<number> (Superior or Inferior Ovary)

Symbol Meanings

  • Numbers: Indicate quantity of parts
  • Parentheses (): Parts are fused together
  • Plus (+): Parts in different whorls
  • Underline: Superior ovary position
  • Overline: Inferior ovary position
  • ∞: Numerous parts (too many to count)

Understanding floral formulas helps botanists quickly identify and classify flowers based on their structural characteristics.