Lagerstroemia Indica X Faueri 'Tonto' is a fast and moderate growing shrub and tree that can be grown in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 6A through 9B. It matures to an average height of 10 feet to 12 feet and an average width of 6 feet to 8 feet, depending on climate and other environmental factors. It prefers growing in a location that provides full sun and grows best when planted in sand, loam or clay soil that is well drained. In the summer Tonto Crape Myrtle produces red and rose pink flowers. The foliage is dark green in color. It attracts wildlife, visual attention and songbirds / birds and is resistant to deer, drought, diseases, mildew and heat.

Tonto Crape Myrtle can be useful in the landscape in foundation plantings, in containers or planters, around decks, swimming pools, and other outdoor living areas, to provide shade, as a focal point, in landscape beds or islands, to frame the corners of a home or other building, to add property value, grown flat against a wall or to accentuate entryways and also in rock or xeriscape gardens, theme gardens, cottage gardens or perennial gardens.

More about Tonto Crape Myrtle...

Noteworthy Characteristics

Tonto is a Fauriei hybrid crape myrtle that produces an abundance of large, deep watermelon-red flower clusters for up to 120 days during summer. It is is a semi-dwarf crape myrtle tree with excellent form and shape; topping out at 10-12 feet in height with a 8-10 foot spread.

Uses

Topping out at 10-12 feet in height, Tonto is a great selection for use in small groupings or as a single specimen, as a colorful screen or hedge, on the corners to frame in homes and other structures, or planted on both sides of an entryway. 

About Fauriei Hybrid Crape Myrtles

In 1959, Dr. Donald Egolf began a crapemyrtle research project at the U.S. National Arboretum to develop crape myrtles that were disease resistant, hardy, true to flower color, and that would repeat bloom.

Germplasm of Lagerstroemia fauriei was collected in Japan by Dr. John Creech and distributed to the U.S. National Arboretum. This material was discovered to be resistant to powdery mildew; a disease known to inflict many varieties of crape myrtle, and to possess a unique, heritable, dark brown trunk color. L. fauriei was incorporated into the research program with great success. Since then, twenty "Fauriei Hybrid" crapemyrtle cultivars have been released!

The successful hybridization of Lagerstroemia indica with Lagerstroemia fauriei revolutionized the development of crapemyrtle. In addition to field resistance to powdery mildew, the hybrids provide new trunk colors that in the future may be sought as much as the brilliant flowers.

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