Black Diamond® Crimson Red™ Crape Myrtle

If you want a showy standout to add to your landscape, Black Diamond® Crimson Red™ Crape Myrtle Shrub (Lagerstroemia Black Diamond 'Crimson Red') is an incredible choice. Add these special plants to elevate the star power of your property!

It features striking inky black foliage that stays dark over the entire growing season. Large clusters of brilliant red blooms are held above the dark leaves; which really "pops" the Crimson Red™ blooms. Each bright red flower is offset with bright yellow centers. This cheery accent effortlessly adds a sense of breezy confidence!

You will be thrilled with the ease and performance of this shrubby, upright variety. Stop traffic no matter where you use it...and there are so many ways to feature versatile Crimson Red™ in your landscape. Hummingbirds and butterflies will love your yard, but you won't have to worry about deer having the same interest!

Whether you spell it one word or as Crepe Myrtle, brilliant Crape Myrtle shrubs thrive throughout USDA growing zones 6 to 10 and retain their vibrant color through heat and humidity and summer sun!

Planting and Application:

These beautiful plants can become a gorgeous accent for a berm planting. Use three of them in an informal grouping. Plant two as dramatic specimen shrubs flanking either side of your back gate. You'll trick visitors into thinking your yard is larger than it really is.

If you live in more temperate climates, you can grow these out to their full height and width for a gorgeous, "living fence." You'll love the flowering privacy around your pool deck or property line. They can also be used as a wonderful backdrop on the north side of your mixed border. Add them to the sunny side of mature evergreen trees for a more spirited presentation.

Add more privacy, or accent a path or walkway. Use it to decorate the front of your house, or put it to use as a flowering backdrop for smaller perennials. Line your driveways or fences. Plant them 12 feet apart on center, measuring from the center of one to the center of the next. Stagger a zigzagging second row if you want to see faster results! Create an outdoor garden room with flowering walls. They make a garden statement at the back of your patio seating area.

Crimson Red™ from the Black Diamond® series of Crape Myrtles will easily grow into a starring role in your landscape. Use one or dozens - either way, you will enjoy their high-impact! The masses of vibrant blooms turn "ho-hum" into a flowering paradise.

These plants can be grown to their full height and spread. They also take hard pruning well, so you can keep them much shorter if you prefer. Use them to hide portions of your yard. Garden designers have been using this technique for ages to help break up a flat expanse and create the illusion of space.

In Zone 6, they'll often act like a perennial. New growth emerges from roots and reaches three feet high by the season's end. Use this idea in warmer zones, too. Turn them into a low, three-foot hedge with a yearly trimming, or let them grow naturally! For gardeners in Zones 3, 4, or 5, take hope. You can enjoy the stunning black foliage that is a perfect dark backdrop to the Crimson Red™ blooms from late summer to fall in large containers.

Even if your winters are freezing, people have successfully overwintered their Crape Myrtles in an unheated shed or garage. Bring it back out once the weather warms up, and don't be surprised to see that new growth for a beautiful new season.

• Large Clusters of Bright Red, Ruffled Blooms With Yellow Centers
• Blooms for Months!
• Pollinator & Hummingbird Magnets
• Dramatic Burgundy-Black Foliage From Early Spring Through Frost
• Upright Shrubby Variety
• Outstanding Flowering Privacy Screen
• Dazzling Seasonal "Thriller" in Containers No Matter Where You Live

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Low-maintenance Black Diamond® Crape Myrtles are highly disease-resistant. Give Crimson Red™ Crape Myrtle full sun, in a spot where it receives at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. Morning sun is preferred because it will dry off the foliage from any overnight dew quickly.

Plant in soil that drains quickly. Create a raised bed for planting if you see puddles that remain a long time after a rain event. You'll definitely want to keep your young plants well-watered with soakings every few days. Move to a weekly soaking after a month, and keep it up the first season. Once they are established in your soil, they'll become moderately drought-tolerant. Apply a three-inch layer of pine straw or pine bark mulch. Pull the mulch at least six inches away from the stems for proper air circulation.

Apply an organic, slow-release fertilizer designed for flowering plants in early spring. You can apply again in mid-summer. Follow application rates on the label. Keep lawn fertilizers that are heavy on nitrogen away from your Crimson Red™ Crape Myrtle. They may reduce the amount of blooms you'll see. Use care when fertilizing lawns with a broadcast spreader.

Prune in early spring to remove crossing branches and to control size. Eliminate the thickest, oldest wood at ground level every other year or so. Leave the youngest, thinning stems to revitalize your plant. You'll enjoy the brightest foliage and boldest flower color with this simple technique. Deadhead after flowers after they fade to encourage a rebloom later on.

Crape Myrtles are rarely severely damaged by deer. However, if you live in an area with heavy deer pressure, apply repellent on all new plants. Reapply according to the label directions.

• Care-Free In Full Sun
• Becomes Moderately Drought Tolerant Once Established
• Deer Don't Prefer the Taste
• Prune In Spring To Control Size
• Bold Foliage Resists Disease & Powdery Mildew

Add the Crimson Red™ Crape Myrtle for incredible flower power that just won't quit! Nothing is easier than ordering from our expert growers. Order Black Diamond® Crimson Red™ Crape Myrtle today!

Nature Hills sends you very high-quality, commercial-grade landscape plant material. You'll love getting your shipping notice in advance. Watch for that sturdy box!