Other Names:  Crape Myrtle, Crepe Myrtle

Group/Class:  Thunderstruck Series

Brand:  Garden Debut®

Description:

This spectacular ornamental shrub or small tree is covered in dense, pale pink blushed white blooms in summer, over contrasting near-black, glossy foliage; a captivating focal point for the garden or border

Ornamental Features

Thunderstruck™ White Flash™ Crapemyrtle is clothed in stunning panicles of white frilly flowers with shell pink overtones at the ends of the branches from early summer to early fall. It has attractive burgundy foliage with hints of black. The oval leaves are highly ornamental and turn dark red in fall. The smooth khaki (brownish-green) bark and crimson branches add an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Thunderstruck™ White Flash™ Crapemyrtle is a dense multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Thunderstruck™ White Flash™ Crapemyrtle is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Thunderstruck™ White Flash™ Crapemyrtle will grow to be about 15 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more.

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. To help this plant achive its best flowering performance, periodically apply a flower-boosting fertilizer from early spring through into the active growing season. 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 particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.