Find Your Perfect Crepe Myrtle

Australia's favourite flowering tree. Stunning summer blooms in vibrant pinks, whites, reds, and purples. Discover the ideal variety for your garden.

ðŸŒģ Browse Varieties ❓ Take the Quiz

Why Choose Crepe Myrtle?

The perfect ornamental tree for Australian gardens and landscapes

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Stunning Summer Blooms

Vibrant flowers from December through March, bringing colour when many other plants fade.

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Drought Tolerant

Once established, crepe myrtles thrive in Australia's hot, dry summers with minimal watering.

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Heat Resistant

Perfect for Australian climates, loving full sun and handling temperatures over 40°C.

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Low Maintenance

Easy to prune and shape. Responds well to hard pruning for more blooms.

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Beautiful Year-Round

Attractive bark, autumn colour, and interesting branching provide winter interest.

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Sizes for Every Space

From dwarf varieties for pots to large trees for parks - there's a crepe myrtle for you.

Popular Crepe Myrtle Varieties

Explore Australia's most loved crepe myrtle cultivars and find your perfect match

Compare Variety Colour Height Width Growth Rate Best For Shop

Compare Selected Varieties

See how your chosen crepe myrtles stack up against each other

Find Your Perfect Crepe Myrtle

Answer a few questions and we'll recommend the ideal variety for your garden

What size space do you have?

Consider both height restrictions and spread area

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Small / Container Balcony, courtyard, or pot (under 2m)
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Medium Garden Suburban garden bed or border (2-5m)
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Large Space Acreage, park, or feature tree (5m+)

What colour flowers do you prefer?

Choose your favourite bloom colour

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Pink / Rose Classic romantic shades from soft to hot pink
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Red / Crimson Bold, dramatic, eye-catching reds
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White / Cream Elegant, pure, and sophisticated
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Purple / Lavender Unique, regal, and distinctive

What's the main purpose?

How will you use your crepe myrtle?

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Feature / Specimen Tree The star of the garden
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Hedge / Screen Privacy or boundary planting
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Street / Driveway Avenue or entrance planting
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Container / Patio Potted feature for deck or balcony

How much maintenance can you do?

Be honest about your gardening time

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Set and Forget Minimal pruning, very low effort
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Weekend Gardener Happy to prune once or twice a year
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Keen Gardener Love to prune and shape for best results
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Your Perfect Match!

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Everything You Need to Know About Crepe Myrtle

Your complete Australian guide to growing and caring for Lagerstroemia

ðŸŒļ What is Crepe Myrtle?

Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) is a stunning flowering tree native to Southeast Asia that has become one of Australia's most popular ornamental plants. Named for its delicate, crepe paper-like flower petals, these versatile trees bring spectacular summer colour to gardens across the country.

Crepe myrtles are deciduous, meaning they lose their leaves in winter, but this is part of their charm - revealing beautiful smooth, mottled bark that provides year-round interest. In autumn, the foliage turns brilliant shades of orange, red, and gold before falling.

ðŸŒŋ Growing Crepe Myrtle in Australia

Crepe myrtles thrive across most of Australia, from Queensland to Victoria and across to Western Australia. They're perfectly suited to our hot, dry summers and cool winters.

  • Climate: Best in zones with warm to hot summers
  • Sun: Full sun (6+ hours daily) for best flowering
  • Soil: Well-draining, slightly acidic to neutral pH
  • Water: Regular watering when young, drought tolerant once established
  • Spacing: Allow adequate room based on mature size

✂ïļ Pruning & Care Tips

Proper pruning is key to a healthy, heavily flowering crepe myrtle. The best time to prune is late winter (July-August) before new growth begins.

  • Remove crossing or rubbing branches
  • Cut back last season's growth by 20-30cm
  • Remove suckers from the base
  • Avoid "crepe murder" - severe topping that ruins the tree's natural shape
  • Fertilise in spring with a balanced slow-release fertiliser

ðŸŽĻ Popular Colour Varieties

Crepe myrtles come in an amazing range of flower colours to suit any garden design:

  • Pink: Tuscarora, Sioux, Pink Velour
  • Red: Dynamite, Red Rocket, Enduring Red
  • White: Natchez, Acoma, Moonlight Magic
  • Purple: Catawba, Purple Magic, Zuni
  • Bi-colour: Hopi, Lipan, Choctaw

Frequently Asked Questions

Crepe myrtles flower during the Australian summer, typically from December through to March or April. The exact timing depends on your location and the specific variety. In warmer climates like Queensland, flowering may start earlier and last longer. Regular deadheading (removing spent flower clusters) can encourage repeat blooming throughout the season.
Crepe myrtles are considered moderate to fast growers, typically adding 30-60cm per year under good conditions. Dwarf varieties grow more slowly, while standard varieties can reach their mature height of 6-8 metres within 10-15 years. Growth rate depends on climate, water availability, soil quality, and sun exposure.
Yes! Dwarf and compact varieties are excellent choices for containers. Choose a pot at least 40-50cm in diameter with good drainage. Use quality potting mix, water regularly (containers dry out faster than garden beds), and fertilise during the growing season. Dwarf varieties like 'Pocomoke' and 'Petite' series are specifically bred for container growing.
Once established (usually after 2-3 years), crepe myrtles are remarkably drought tolerant and perfect for Australian conditions. However, newly planted trees need regular watering during their first few summers. Even established trees will produce more flowers with occasional deep watering during extended dry periods.
No, crepe myrtles have a relatively non-invasive, fibrous root system. They're safe to plant near paths, driveways, and buildings (though allow adequate space for the mature canopy size). This makes them excellent street trees and suitable for planting closer to structures than many other flowering trees.

ðŸ‡Ķ🇚 About Crepe Myrtle Australia

Welcome to Crepe Myrtle Australia, your comprehensive resource for everything related to Lagerstroemia in the Australian climate. Whether you're a home gardener looking to add stunning summer colour to your backyard, a landscaper designing commercial spaces, or a council planning street tree plantings, we're here to help you choose and care for the perfect crepe myrtle.

Our curated selection features the most popular and proven varieties available in Australia, from compact dwarf cultivars perfect for small spaces and containers, to majestic standard trees that create breathtaking focal points in larger gardens. We've done the research so you don't have to - comparing flower colours, mature sizes, growth habits, and suitability for different Australian conditions.

Crepe myrtles have been gracing Australian gardens since the early 1900s and remain one of our most beloved flowering trees. Their ability to thrive in our hot, dry summers while providing spectacular blooms for months on end makes them an invaluable addition to any Australian landscape. Use our interactive quiz to find your perfect match, compare varieties side by side, and shop with confidence from trusted sellers on Amazon Australia.