New in the Nursery: Crepe Myrtles

The summer garden is full of showstoppers⁠—sunflowers the size of dinner plates, lush and layered dahlias, and crape myrtles with showy blooms. This week, we’re happy to have the wonderfully vibrant Bellini Grape Crape Myrtle in our nurseries and we caught up with Kerry Ann McLean from our green goods team to give us the scoop on these summery shrubs!

Lagerstroemia indica 'Congrabel': A true shrub crape myrtle with red buds that open to frilly grape soda-colored petals skirting a gold center. Very late to emerge and too often mistaken as dead when other shrubs have leafed out, this high summer bloomer loves sun and heat and will dazzle in fall when the leaves turn a hot orange-red. Be patient for leaves to show in spring and then sit back and enjoy the color riot for the rest of the season. Wait for complete leaf emergence to prune dead wood—just in case!

Be sure to stop by your local terrain store to pick up your own crape myrtle!