Does the UK have crepe myrtles? I don't believe I have ever seen them on the TV show. They are very popular here in the states, especially here in Virginia. Great bloomers for the summer. Just wondered if they are over there and if so are they popular.
Hello! Yes, I bought one (Lagerstroemia 'Berlingot Menthe') from Burncoose last autumn.
I was drawn to them after seeing the trial RHS Wisley has been conducting for several years and it's unmissable when they're in flower. I assume the trial will run for 5 years - shrub trials tend to be longer so that plants can be assessed as they start to mature. When it concludes, the results will probably be published in 'The Garden' magazine and that will undoubtedly drive sales.
I'm watching mine with interest to see what it will do this year.
Thanks for the information. I had not seen one on the show with Monty. They come in sizes from a few feet to ones over 20 feet when grown and in a number of colors here in Virginia. They are so common here that the state often plants them between the lanes of divided highways.
Lucky you being in Virginia. It's on my bucket list after reading about the history of Roanoke. Now you've described some of the flora it's even more tempting.
If you like seasons we have all 4 here in Virginia. I wouldn't want to live in any other state. I live close outside the city of Fredericksburg where we have not only Colonial history sites but many American Civil War sites. Much of America's early history and famous people happened here in Virginia including Roanoke, Jamestown, Williamsburg and more. George Washington grew up in this area and his mother's house is here in the city. I think you would enjoy Virginia.
Don't give up on it yet. They go dormant in the winter here but come back in the spring. I live in USDA zone 7 which has low temperatures in winter on average of between 0 and 10 degrees F or in what you would know as -17.8 and -12.2 dregrees C. Some crepe myrtle varieties can stand slightly colder and grow in zone 6. Heat is not usually a problem. Zone 7 and above is about the coldest that they really grow well in the outdoors here in the states.
Just looked up the temperature zones of the UK if using the USDA zone configuration. All of the UK falls between zones 6 to 9 with the cold zone 6 mostly in the north center of the UK (mostly Scotland though warmer on the coast). Crepe myrtles should do well temperature wise in most of the UK.
RHS says it’s hardy to -5 and we’ve had -7 a few weeks back. My lagerstroemia is one of the ‘With Love’ series, probably Kisses, but can’t remember exactly.
We sometimes rarely have a day or two of weather down to 0 (+ or - 2 degrees) which would be I believe -17 C and haven't seemed to have lost any of the crepe myrtles that I know. As long as it doesn't stay that cold for too long they seem to be able to cope. It appears that our winters in Virginia are normally as cold or colder than most of the UK.
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I was drawn to them after seeing the trial RHS Wisley has been conducting for several years and it's unmissable when they're in flower. I assume the trial will run for 5 years - shrub trials tend to be longer so that plants can be assessed as they start to mature. When it concludes, the results will probably be published in 'The Garden' magazine and that will undoubtedly drive sales.
I'm watching mine with interest to see what it will do this year.
I live in USDA zone 7 which has low temperatures in winter on average of between 0 and 10 degrees F or in what you would know as -17.8 and -12.2 dregrees C. Some crepe myrtle varieties can stand slightly colder and grow in zone 6. Heat is not usually a problem. Zone 7 and above is about the coldest that they really grow well in the outdoors here in the states.