Early Bird White Crape Myrtle
Lagerstroemia hybrid 'Early Bird White'
If you love crape myrtles, you're gonna love Early Bird White. It's part of a unique series of semi-dwarf, early blooming crape myrtles. Whereas most crape myrtle start blooming in June at the earliest, the Early Bird Crape Myrtles start blooming in May. In our trial gardens, Early Bird White exhibited excellent reblooming capabilities, blooming for at least three months. Useful in sunny landscape beds as a specimen or in small groups.
Attributes, Characteristics & Requirements
USDA Hardiness Zones
7a - 10a
Size
Ht: 5-8' W: 5-8'
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sandy, Silt
Soil Drainage
Well-Drained
Resistant To
Deer, Disease, Heat
| Flower Color
White
Seasons of Bloom
Spring through Summer
Foliage Color
Dark Green
Water Needs
Low when established
Growth Rate
Moderate
Attracts
|
|
Landscape Usages
Useful in sunny landscape beds as a specimen or in small groups.
Care Tips for Early Bird Crape Myrtle
Planting Instructions
Plant in well-drained, somewhat loose to loose soils. Consistently wet soils can be problematic, causing disease.
Feeding Instructions
Fertilize in Spring (after new growth has begun
to emerge), and again, if needed, in late Summer to early Fall with a
well-balanced tree and shrub food or an organic plant food. When in
doubt as to how much fertilizer to apply, follow instructions on the
product label.
Pruning Instructions
This is a low-maintenance, deciduous, summer-flowering shrub that
requires little or no pruning. An occasional snip here or there of a
stray, dead, or broken branch, or faded bloom is okay. Any hard pruning,
to rejuvinate an older shrub that has become spindly, should be done in
late winter or early spring.
Pest and Disease
No serious disease or pest problems. The Japanese beetle and the honeydew aphid can be a
temporary nuisance. The Japanese beetle arrives in Summer and can be
easily and effectively controlled with an application of liquid Sevin
spray. In Fall, if you notice a black "sooty mold" on the leaves of
your crape myrtle, this is usually caused by dirt and pollution collecting on the leaves due to a sticky substance left behind by the honeydew aphid. This sooty mold is
not a serious problem and will be gone with the leaves in Fall.
|
