Crepe Myrtle: yay or nay?

[Anonymous]

I always thought of these as cheap, mostly southern trees (that i found garish bc of their bright colors) but their long bloom season and abundant flowers, nice bark, and pretty umbrella shape, are growing on me. What do people think of these trees? And yes, I know they come in white too.

[Anonymous]

Garish colors? I think they’re gorgeous and I love their colors.

[Anonymous]

Love them!

[Anonymous]

They presently are attracting a black sticky fungus that is very ugly. They are not native to this area, and as our area warms up, they are becoming an invasive reseeding problem (they drop a lot of seed) which will continue to be problematic. They are the list of our area's predicted next problematic invasive.

But yes, they are pretty.

[Anonymous]

I like bright flowers but dislike the shrubby multi-trunk appearance - like an overgrown bush you left in your yard. If you plant one, trim it so it looks like a tree.

[Anonymous]

Nay. Their root systems are invasive and can cause damage to sewers and foundations. They also are a non-native species.

[Anonymous]

I've been trying to kill the one planted before we bought the house for years, unsuccessfully. I vote NO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Love them!

Same!

[Anonymous]

No, they are very messy trees and aggressive growers. They will crowd out native plants. Your neighbors will hate you.

[Anonymous]

How are they cheap? I have two giant gorgeous large established ones that frame our driveway and they make me deliriously happy to see them bloom all summer. They are like my own version of "live oaks" leading up to the big house. We have a large, well cared for yard so I'm not sure how they can be invasive. When they get suckers I kick them off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nay. Their root systems are invasive and can cause damage to sewers and foundations. They also are a non-native species.

LMAO. All plants have roots. All roots near leaking sewer pipes will "invasively" grow into them. The larger the plant, usually the larger the roots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They presently are attracting a black sticky fungus that is very ugly. They are not native to this area, and as our area warms up, they are becoming an invasive reseeding problem (they drop a lot of seed) which will continue to be problematic. They are the list of our area's predicted next problematic invasive.

But yes, they are pretty.

Spray for pests. It's caused by insects damaging the leaves, allowing fungus to grow.

Pesticides, not fungal agents, will cure that.

[Anonymous]

I love them. Don’t like when people “top” them though

[Anonymous]

Get the arboretum cultivars (named for American Indian tribes)

[Anonymous]

Love them!
Just got back from the beach and they were everywhere! Made me wish I had more.
Also some double bloom (bloom twice a summer)