Crape Myrtle, Bellini Raspberry Lagerstroemia indica 'Conlagras' Height: 4 feet Spread: 4 feet
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Hardiness Zone: 6a Other Names: Crape Myrtle, Crepe Myrtle Group/Class: Bellini® Series Brand: Star Roses and Plants Description: This beautiful dwarf crape myrtle produces volumes of rich, rose-red blooms, over dark green, glossy foliage; early blooming, and has excellent mildew resistance; a captivating focal point for the garden or border; also good for container planting Ornamental Features Crape Myrtle, Bellini Raspberry is clothed in stunning panicles of rose frilly flowers with red overtones at the ends of the branches from late spring to late summer, which emerge from distinctive dark red flower buds. It has dark green deciduous foliage. The glossy oval leaves turn orange and yellow in fall. Landscape Attributes Crape Myrtle, Bellini Raspberry is a dense multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage. This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep. Trim off the flower heads after they fade and die to encourage more blooms late into the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics. Crape Myrtle, Bellini Raspberry is recommended for the following landscape applications; Planting & Growing Crape Myrtle, Bellini Raspberry will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. 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 very fussy about its soil conditions and must have rich, acidic soils to ensure success, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline 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, Bellini Raspberry makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used 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. If you are growing it in a container, be sure to protect it from cold temperatures and winds by taking it into a garage or shed with a window, don't forget to give it water once every 2 to 3 weeks. 
