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Family: Crapemyrtle
Type: Tree
Other Common Name: Crape Myrtle, Crepe Myrtle
The Dynamite Crape Myrtle stands out with its vibrant cherry-red blossoms, making it a showstopper in any landscape. This deciduous tree not only offers stunning summer flowers but also boasts a smooth, peeling bark and attractive fall foliage, adding multi-season interest to gardens. Known for its drought tolerance and disease resistance, the Dynamite Crape Myrtle is a favorite among gardeners seeking a low-maintenance yet visually impactful specimen.
Reaching heights of up to 20 feet, this crape myrtle variety thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it an excellent choice for sunny borders, driveways, or as a focal point in mixed beds. Its compact size and vibrant color make it an ideal candidate for small and large landscapes alike, providing a burst of color when many other plants have ceased blooming.
Planting a Dynamite Crape Myrtle brings a touch of the dramatic to your garden with minimal effort. Its fiery red blooms last from late spring through summer, attracting pollinators such as bees and butterflies, while its fall foliage in shades of orange and red extends the visual interest into the cooler months. In winter, the tree’s architectural form and exfoliating bark continue to add beauty to the garden.
Hardiness Zone: 6b-9b
Pet Friendly: Yes
Moisture Preference: Average to moist
Sun Needs: Full sun to partial shade
Growth Rate: Fast
Average Height (feet): 20
Average Spread (feet): 15
Average Life Span (years): 20
Form: Upright spreading
Flower Color: Red
Flower Shape: Frilly
Bloom Season: From early to late summer
Foliage Color: Green
Leaf Fall Color: Orange
Foliage Shape: Oval
Bark Color: Gray
Bark Texture: Smooth
Integrating Dynamite Crape Myrtle into your yard can transform your outdoor space into a vibrant oasis. Planting them in rows along a driveway or walkway creates an inviting, colorful path that guides visitors through your landscape. Their upright growth and striking blooms make them excellent as privacy screens or windbreaks, offering both functionality and aesthetic appeal.
This tree pairs well with perennial plants and grasses that complement its bright blooms and enhance the garden’s texture. Surrounding it with low-growing flowers or ornamental grasses creates a layered look that highlights the Dynamite Crape Myrtle’s height and color. In mixed borders, they provide vertical interest and serve as a dynamic backdrop for other plants.
For those with limited space, Dynamite Crape Myrtle works wonderfully in large containers, bringing its stunning color and form to patios, decks, and pool areas. This allows gardeners in cooler regions to enjoy the tree’s beauty by moving it to a protected location during winter months, ensuring year-round enjoyment of this versatile plant.
In traditional gardens, Dynamite Crape Myrtle adds a classic elegance with its timeless beauty and enduring appeal, enhancing formal and informal designs alike.
The vibrant blooms and relaxed growth habit of Dynamite Crape Myrtle fit perfectly into the informal, lush settings of cottage gardens, adding color and charm.
Its drought tolerance and sun-loving nature make Dynamite Crape Myrtle a superb addition to Mediterranean gardens, where it complements olive trees, lavenders, and rosemary.
Enhance a sunny patio or courtyard by planting a Dynamite Crape Myrtle as a specimen tree, where its blooms can be enjoyed up close.
Create a colorful hedge or privacy screen by planting multiple Dynamite Crape Myrtles in a row, offering both beauty and seclusion to your garden.
Incorporate Dynamite Crape Myrtle into a wildlife garden. Its flowers attract pollinators, while its branches provide nesting sites for birds, supporting local biodiversity.
In spring, the Dynamite Crape Myrtle begins to leaf out, setting the stage for the explosive color display that follows in the warmer months.
During summer, the tree is ablaze with red flowers, making it a focal point in the landscape and drawing the attention of visitors and pollinators alike.
As fall arrives, the leaves turn shades of orange and red, mirroring the fiery blooms of summer and extending the tree's visual appeal.
In winter, the bare branches and peeling bark of the Dynamite Crape Myrtle provide structural interest to the garden, standing out against the dormant landscape.
Choose a sunny spot for your Dynamite Crape Myrtle as it thrives in full sun, ensuring the most vibrant bloom color and healthiest growth.
This crape myrtle variety requires full sun (at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily) to flourish and produce its signature bright red flowers.
Plant in well-drained soil; Dynamite Crape Myrtle is adaptable to various soil types but prefers slightly acidic to neutral pH levels.
Space trees at least 10 to 15 feet apart to allow for their mature spread and to promote good air circulation around the plants.
The best time to plant is in early spring or fall when temperatures are milder, reducing stress on the young trees as they establish.
Dig a hole twice as wide and just as deep as the root ball, place the tree in the hole, backfill with soil, and water thoroughly.
Water regularly during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Once established, Dynamite Crape Myrtle is drought tolerant.
Apply a slow-release, balanced fertilizer in early spring to encourage vigorous growth and abundant flowering.
Prune in late winter or early spring before new growth begins, removing any dead or crossing branches to maintain a pleasing shape and promote healthy growth.
Mulch and fertilize to encourage new growth. Water as necessary, especially if the weather is dry.
Monitor for pests and diseases. Water during prolonged dry spells to keep the tree healthy and blooming.
Prepare the tree for winter by reducing watering and removing any fallen leaves or debris around the base to prevent fungal diseases.
No specific care is needed in winter. In colder zones, young trees may benefit from a layer of mulch to protect the root system.
Dynamite Crape Myrtle can take 3-5 years to reach its mature height of 20 feet, depending on growing conditions and care.
Yes, young Dynamite Crape Myrtle trees can be grown in large containers but may need to be transplanted into the ground as they mature.
Yes, the bright flowers of the Dynamite Crape Myrtle attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies, adding life and movement to your garden.
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