Crape Myrtle, Pecos Lagerstroemia indica 'Pecos' Height: 8 feet Spread: 6 feet
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Hardiness Zone: 6a Other Names: Crape Myrtle, Crepe Myrtle Description: This remarkable crapemyrtle produces large trusses of frilly pink blooms over shiny dark green foliage; excellent mildew resistance and improved hardiness; a captivating focal point in the garden or border; can be maintained as a small, multi-stemmed tree Ornamental Features Crape Myrtle, Pecos is clothed in stunning panicles of pink frilly flowers at the ends of the branches from mid summer to early fall, which emerge from distinctive coppery-bronze flower buds. It has attractive dark green foliage with grayish green undersides. The glossy oval leaves are highly ornamental and turn outstanding shades of orange, rose and deep purple in the fall. The smooth gray bark and purple branches add an interesting dimension to the landscape. Landscape Attributes Crape Myrtle, Pecos is a dense multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage. This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It has no significant negative characteristics. Crape Myrtle, Pecos is recommended for the following landscape applications; Planting & Growing Crape Myrtle, Pecos will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years. This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. This plant should be periodically fertilized throughout the active growing season with a specially-formulated acidic fertilizer. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for rich, acidic soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. Crape Myrtle, Pecos makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden. Special Attributes In Eastern Washington & Oregon Crape Myrtles can have die back from our winters, depending on the winter. If it is a hard winter they can die completely so in the autumn put 4 inches of bark around their base going out to a 2 foot in diameter to protect the roots from dying. Crape Myrtles are one of the last things to leaf out in the spring, generally mid to late April or early May.
