Scientific Name:
Lagerstroemia fauriei
(incl. hybrid cvs.)
Pronunciation:
la-ger-STRO-me-a FAR-ee-i
Common Name:
Japanese crape myrtle
Family Name:
Lythraceae
Plant Type:
Tree - deciduous
Key ID Features:
Leaves simple, usually opposite, ovate to elliptic, up to 15cm long; flowers white, on 5-10cm long panicles; capsules succulent, green and then ripening and drying to dark brown to black. Winter ID: most with multi-stemmed trunk with attractive peeling cinnamon bark; fallen dark capsules; twigs with decurrent ridges.
Habit:
Arching
Form:
Round
Texture:
Medium
Mature Height:
7 - 10m
Mature Spread:
7 - 10m
Growth Rate:
Fast
Origin:
Garden origin, S.E. Asia / Japan / China (Ryuku Island, Japan)
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 6: (-23 to -18 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun
Soil/Growing Medium:
Well-drained
Landscape Uses:
Specimen plant, Summer interest
Additional Info:
Google. Cultivars shown may include L. 'Conagras'. Many L. indica x L. faurei hybrids exist such as L. 'Natchez' (also shown). Compare to L. indica.
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Opposite
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible
Surfaces:
Glabrous
Colour in Fall:
Yellow, Orange, Red
Shapes:
Elliptic, Ovate
Apices:
Acute, Caudate
Bases:
Obtuse
Margins:
Entire
Additional Info:
Spectacular fall colour, Occassionally alternate or rarely appear whorled on hybrids near stem tips
Inflorescence Type:
Thyrse, Panicle-like
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
5
Colour (petals):
Showy, White
Flower Time at Peak:
Sep
Fruit Type:
Capsule
Fruit Colour:
Brown, Black
Fruiting Time:
Oct, Nov
Bark Morphology:
Exfoliating, Multi-stem trunk
Bark or Stem Colour:
Grey, Red, Brown
Leaf Bud Type:
Conical (long-pointed)
Leaf Scar Shape:
U-shaped
Organ Modifications:
Ectomycorrhizae
