Suggest you search in the New England Gardening forum. There was an extensive conversation there about whether it's possible to grow any type of crape myrtle anywhere in New England. Very knowedgeable posters. Good discussion about what other trees have somewhat similar characteristics--since the bottom line is no, it's not possible to grow 'em in z6 or anywhere in New England.

You can definitely grow crepe myrtles in zone 6. I have a Zuni, which is a smaller variety.

At least some crape myrtles are growing well in south central Pa, Harrisburg area. I have 4 'Dynamite' all leafed out with only a very little winter damage.They were planted 4 years ago as 18" container plants and are well over 6 feet now. Neighbors to the north and south of me are growing them as well. As with many other plants, success in growing these may depend on site and soil.

Some information on microclimates to help you locate the warmer areas of your garden:

http://www.gardenguides.com/582-combat-zone-envy-make-microclimates.html

I should have been more specific- it's not just that you can grow them in zone 6 with special effort, but that there are crepe myrtles that are hardy to zone 6. I think they tend to be the smaller ones, such as the Zuni I mentioned. (I do know someone who grows one in zone 5).

I have heard a lot of talk about Crepe Myrtles...I might see if I can get one too. I like that it would be original in my cookie cutter neighborhood!

A quick google search came up with "Natchez" Crepe Myrtle
Lagerstroemia fauriei is reliably hardy as far north as USDA Hardiness Zone 6.

I have a Muskogee Crapemyrtle that has done very well. It is planted off the corner of the house, southern exposure, and windy as all heck. It's been in for 5 years and I have had no problems with dieback or winter damage. With the crazy cool, wet summer last year it flowered later than normal, well into October and had flowers and red and yellow fall foliage at the same time. It was planted at 8'-10' tall and is now a good 12'+ with an 8'-10' head. I also have some Pokemoke Crapemyrtle, a low variety. They have also have been in 5 years. Planted at 15"-18" wide, now 2 1/2' - 3' wide by 18" tall. Some are planted 3' from the street in pretty harsh conditions and are doinf well. I tried these at my house before being comfortable recommending them to clients. I now use them frequently. My experience shows that they do not do well/survive if planted in the fall. Spring and early summer planting only.

I'm in zone 6a and planted a Dynamite crape myrtle at the end of the driveway that we refer to as our little survivor. It's been 4 years now that the poor thing has been through the ringer and keeps coming back. It's been hit with a snowplow, run over with a car, had a truck drop a pallet on it, then last year the city dug up that part of the driveway to access water lines and removed the plant. It takes a beating every year, and every year without fail has come back. This year I thought it was really a goner, but low and behold it sprouted up from the ground like the living dead in July. I haven't been able to test bud-hardiness or whether or not it will grow in tree form. I finally moved it this year to a more sheltered place in the yard where I'm hoping it might thrive. So, in my limited experience, these can definitely be grown in zone 6, but *might* need to be cut to the ground and grown as a shrub.

Crape myrtles are only root hardy in zone 6. They will never grow into a tree and at best will be a smallish shrub. Most sources consider them a dieback perennial in that zone.

I have several crape myrtles, they are all root hardy. I get about 12 years of growth on one cultivar and 2-3 years on the other between freeze backs. The past January low of -11.8 F killed all growth to the ground.

This is the size attained before being frozen to the ground on January 2019. Zone 6b

My mother's crape myrtle is well over 10 ft tall in NJ zone 6.

Some of us relish the challenge to determine which plants associated with slightly warmer climates will survive and which will actually thrive. The risk taken is part of the intrigue. Plants I have tried in this area are: Pecan, tree planted as seedling is 45' tall and has never suffered freeze damage, Southern Magnolia, Edith Bougue and 24 Below, some leaf burn in the coldest winters- no twig damage in 25 years. Poncirus trifoliata - severely damaged once in 42 years at -24 deg. F.

I tire of seeing Norway and Silver maples to the point of disliking them.

I understand the excitement plant enthusiasts have in growing plants that are not commonplace in their locales.

I understand the excitement, too. But then have tired of relearning the lesson when the freeze or too hot conditions eventually come.

I will zone push a lot of plants :-) It IS a challenge to see what you can get to grow that is not common and difficult to sustain for your area. But I will draw the line at a lot of woody plants and particularly, trees. It's tough to devote the investment in $$, time and effort involved with growing a tree only to have it come to grief in that winter that is below the average low that determines your zone. Or severely knocked back after a late spring freeze that zaps all the buds. Heck, even zone hardy plants can be damaged by that odd winter with a strong cold spell. All it takes is a single 'polar vortex' or Arctic blast and the damage can be extensive!

And this is not a practice you want to follow with any landscaping clients! Unless they too are willing to undergo the risk.

Quite a lot of crapes do very well in zone6 with protection in their first years. Mostly the US Arboretum releases (x fauirei hybrids) but some pure indicas as well.

These crapes i planted around 15 years ago, then moved, the buliding has been mostly empty, so no winter protection and summer watering for the last 10-12 years, was there today by accident and they look AMAZING. with average winter lows of 5F 0F, sometimes down to -5F -8F (like 3 years ago, -5F every night for 3 weeks)

Sorry for the mess, the buiding has been empty again for a while

And i couldn't upload the pics in the same post

Sioux crape myrtle Branford Ct zone 6b 7

Reviving this thread a bit, has anyone tried Lagerstroemia fauriei? It seems like the toughest species of crape Myrtle for cold tolerance and seems to handle cool summers very well as its native to the mountains of Yakushima Island in Japan which have summer temps usually in the high 70s and low 80s. If so, where did you get it? I really want to find one.