A Beauty for all Seasons

Integrity in Fall and Winter. Magnificence in Spring and Summer. A distinct trunk and bark. And a structure as delicate and as elegant as its bloom (which comes in three colors).

Crape myrtles in Winter

The version we see all over this area is the Common Crape-myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) which came from China and Korea. According to Wikipedia, it was introduced to the United States in Charleston around 1790 by a French botanist, Andre Michaux, who lived here for 10 years. Monsieur Michaux was a diplomat as well as a botanist who was sent by Louis XVI in 1785 to investigate plants that could be of value in France. The Carolina lily (Lilium michauxii), Michaux’s Saxifrage (Saxifraga michauxii) and several other plants are named for him.

Crape myrtles in early Summer

Around 1792, Thomas Jefferson asked Michaux to undertake an expedition similar to the Lewis and Clark Expedition that would follow a decade later. Interestingly, at the time of Michaux’s journey, Meriwether Lewis was an 18-year-old Jefferson protege who asked to go with Michaux and was turned down by Jefferson—yet another example of how good, sometimes extraordinary, opportunities come to those who have to wait.

Detail of the pink blossom

The  name “Crape” supposedly comes from the fact that the pedals of the flower have a crinkled crepe-like shape and texture. At a distance, the tree in full bloom makes a powerful and ethereal impression that can stop you in your tracks and make you marvel at the intricacy and designs of Nature. ¶

Learn more about the crape myrtle species.