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crepe myrtle?
Hi again! I posted earlier this week regarding a bush in my front yard that I didn't realize would bloom and wanted to know what it was. Here I am again! Spring has sprung at my house and I'm finding something new every day. I had another question about indentifying a couple more plants for me...I am clueless and I can't figure out what these plants are. If you guys think you know, let me know! It's so exciting to see all of the blooms around here, especially since we didn't have anything like this where we lived before.
So this is the tree that is along one side of our house. I never really have a reason to go out there, but I was cleaning out the leaves from the flower beds earlier and saw this: http://tinyurl.com/4tphcaj
I knew that it was there but had no idea it would produce such beautiful blooms. I thought it was a crepe myrtle, but never in my life have I seen one with yellow blooms. Am I wrong? Here is a close up of the blooms: http://tinyurl.com/4co6vu9
Also, we have two other "crepe myrtles" growing right in front of our house. They looked exactly like the previous tree before the blooms, but these haven't bloomed (or even grown buds) yet: http://tinyurl.com/4lp2cxk
Are they different plants? Or do you think the bloom times are different?
If you have any idea or have any advice, let me know. Thank you so much in advance. You all are so helpful!
Re: crepe myrtle?
Ditto. My Crepe Myrtle has no buds at all right now.
I live in Northern Alabama...maybe that makes a difference? haha
Thanks ladies, as always
Yep. You're in the same zone that I'm in (7,7b). I think it's usually April before I start seeing leaves on my Crepe Myrtle.
Ohh okay. I was beginning to get worried that somethint was wrong with them. I should probably trim them (no crepe murder, I PROMISE!) I looked at the link that you had posted earlier about proper trimming and I didn't get a chance to do it in the fall,so I just plan on cutting off the little twigs at the base.
I really should study up on this kind of stuff so I can leave you guys alone! haha it's so hard with nursing school though...like I have time to study anything else.
You guys are awesome.
NOT ALL CRAPES LEAF OUT AT THE SAME TIME. There are a lot of Crape Myrtle varieties!
I'm also in 7b. SOME Crapes are budding out in March, some others in April. Last year, one of my new neighbors called me to come over and tell her if her Crape Myrtle was dead, because it was still BARE and almost May (it finally flushed out around Mother's Day)!
Just because other Crapes in your neighborhood are getting leaves doesn't mean all of them should be at that stage.
Personally, I like the late ones best, because by the time they bloom, the Japanese Beetles (which love to eat Crape Myrtle flowers) have already come and gone.
We have 3 forsythia bushes on our property and I love the bright pop of color they put off in early spring! They aren't anything spectacular to look at the rest of the year though.
They are fast growing so you'll need to keep on top of pruning them if they are in ideal conditions (full sun and well drained soil). Our bushes are a little more "challenged" with part shade and we are in Zone 4 (the coldest climate they do well in) so they grow much slower. Prune them right after the flowers die as they bloom on the previous season's growth.
Sorry, ~NB~. I don't know what variety the white Crepe Myrtles are, but I do know they bloom a few weeks before my tree does. I get excited when I see those bloom, because I know my tree isn't too far away from having blooms!
And a nice link to Clemson University Extension on Crepe Myrtles. There's also some info on the different varieties and the flowering time.