Its ease of propagation, long blooming period and ability to grow under nearly every soil condition make the crape myrtle a widely used and greatly admired ornamental. The flowering season for crape myrtle begins in June or July, and continues until fall. Leaves are often garnet tinged in the spring, glossy dark green in the summer, and dull to intense yellow, orange or red in the autumn. When the leaves fall in the winter, the crape myrtle becomes a living sculpture. The trunk and branches have an attractively gnarled, twisted character with smooth bark varying in color from light straw to rich deep brown.
Crape myrtle is very versatile in the residential landscape.
Multi-trunked plants can be used as a visual barrier, a specimen plant in the garden, or a dominant landscape feature when planted singly or in groups. Semi-dwarf and dwarf types are suitable for foundation plantings, use in containers, or even as larger groundcovers. Occasional pruning may be required to maintain desired size and form. Background plantings of evergreen shrubs or trees may be employed to further emphasize the floral spectacle of crape myrtle. Allees are usually long walkways where the plants are spaced so their canopies touch and enclose the pathways.