Date: Tue, 19 Jul 2011 08:13:22 -0400
From: Whitney Schmidt
Subject: Purple Crepe (or Crape) Myrtles
I think what you may want is the Lagerstroemia indica ‘Catawba.’ Cooper Payne Tree Farm in Hillsborough sells them, and probably many other folks around here. Cooper Payne spells it “Crape.”
Generally wholesale nurseries won’t sell to the public (I was a grower for many years), but they’ll be happy to direct you to retail establishments that do carry what you need. Crepes are super easy to plant and keep, but don’t do it now, it’s way too hot – wait until fall. You can buy them now and keep them shaded and watered until it cools just a little. Heat stresses plants and trees and transplants sometimes (or often) don’t go well.
If you decide dark pink is for you instead of purple I have tons of volunteers I can part with that I’d give you – They’re little shrubby and small, but they grow fast. Their parents are trees (very old and very beautiful trees).
Whitney.