I get much colder than you but around here both are bare but only maybe 4 months. Some Crape Myrtles have nice bark so get one that does.
I would like a Jacaranda also, but they can be messy. Are you going to park cars near it...you might want to think about that.

I don't think saying "messy" covers it--Jacarandas spit sap which will ruin a car. They are beautiful whether blooming or not, but only if "off in the distance", because they have a 20 foot spread when mature. If it's going to be anywhere near cars in your front yard, don't do it!

Carla in Sac

Jacaranda will look like a huge Charlie Brown tree for months. They also get very big, and can overwhelm a front yard. Do you have a really big yard? If so, you can get away with planting a jacaranda in the middle of a lawn away from the house and walkways. They look wonderful for a week or two when they bloom, when the blossoms fall and cover the grass in a big circle.

Crape Myrtles look less Charlie Brownish in the winter because they are more easily pruned into lovely shapes that look good even when they are bare. Crape Myrtles are also small enough for a suburban front yard, unlike jacarandas.

Consider a weeping bottlebrush- they don't make near the mess and they are evergreen. There's a really pretty pink bottlebrush called "Cane's Hybrid" that I have wanted for some time.

Good luck!
Renee

It was said "Jacarandas spit sap "

Not so.

Instead, it's the aphids which infest the jacaranda which excrete honeydew, the sticky stuff that gets all over everything below the tree's canopy

But I must admit -- it's really messy

Thank you for the comments. The Jacaranda will be far from any cars or cement so not a problem. In the town where I live (Fullerton) there are thousands of long established Jacarandas that are used as street trees...I have wondered about the cars parked underneath too but guess the locals don't mind?? I actually think the purple petals look pretty on the grass so to me, it won't be messy. I think it must be the most loved tree in this city, they're everywhere and bloom from April into the middle of summer as I recall. I'm glad I'm going to have one Crape Myrtle too. We have bottle brush in our back yard and that too is nice but wanted something different in our front yard. Thanks again.

Crepe myrtles are messy as well, but not with sticky stuff. They drop their flowers, then later their bark and leaves. Not the best for a patio, better on a lawn. But we've had one on our patio for decades, and it's a month of tracking purple flowers into the house. Not intolerable, but a bit messy for a spell.

I love the Jacarandas in Fullerton. I went to college there and I loved them planted in the lawns at Cal State Fullerton. The whole town in bloom with them is a sight never to be forgotten.

Mature Crapes are beautiful in winter because their branching pattern, round seed heads and bark are so very pretty -as long as you don't butcher 'em. My favourite variety is Dyamite. The red blooms are arresting.

This group seemed to know about Jacaranda trees; have a question. Have a couple year old tree in the middle of back lawn, not a bad location. I would prefer a more shade producing type, but an unusual wind took out the biggest center framing branch so it looks pretty odd. Kind of a tulip shape. When it is done blooming I was wondering if it could be trimmed up to a shape to allow it to grow to its true size. I am in Corona, just in-land from Fullerton.

I lived in Ca for 60 years, but have been in North Carolina for seven (just hopped in here for old times sake). Crape myrtle seems to be the state tree here. They all have beautiful winter bark here but it freezes. I suppose that might make a difference. I was not even aware of them in Ca.

I just wanted to add to dis_ about butchering them. Apparrently, many people including landscapers, have gotten into the habit of choping them off at five or six feet high and letting the sprouts form the flowering branches. They believe tht this produces a larger flower show. However, it is the considered opinion of our state agricultural agents and modern landscapers that this is untrue, unwise and just plain ugly. It is often called Crape Murder.

In any case, the basic approach is to allow several trunks (usually a small odd number) to establish, and then remove the lower shoots to expose the trunks.

I have 5 crepe myrtles, and yes they are bare in winter. But it's not a Charlie Brown look, it's a winter look. I have no problem with it.

That said, one of the crepes is over a much-used patio. While there isn't a sap problem, it loses all its leaves, all its flowers and even bark which makes it a fairly litter-y tree. We track purple flowers in the house for a month, rake up leaves and piles of flowers. When the wind blows, I've seen flowers come down like a purple snowstorm. Not a big problem, but something you should know. They are stunning when they bloom.

Hi IEKaren,
I don't know the answer to your question, but you might try posing it as a new post over on the Tree Forum. They are very knowledgeable over there. Make sure to start a new post so people pay attention to it.
Renee

My 2 cents... If Jacaranda is off far away from cars and cemented areas, they are quite lovely. I personally cannot stand the stench of the purple blooms, you either enjoy it or get disgusted by it. I do love the 'fern' looking leaves. A mess as mentioned above by others on cars etc.

Crepe Myrtles can be gorgeous in the summer. They look almost dead to me here in So.Cal in the winter, sometimes I even question them in the spring and all of a sudden they come back to life. They are somewhat messy, in summer their bark peels and old leaves will fall, but the biggest complaint I have is the little drip sap they drop. Only during the summer for me, it stains my cars with tiny drops everytime.

I would not recommend Crepe Myrtles AT ALL they provide ZERO shade and
are best used as a border tree for privacy and they grow Straight up and
down even as a mature tree. I always shake my head when people plant
these in their front lawns as they are going to be very disappointed.
They are the WORST tree for shade and are on the most hated list for
tree preservation groups because the cities always tries to pass these
off as planting shade trees to meet quota. They are again only good
for border trees and a punch of color not a shade tree AT ALL. I always try to warn people away from planting these in their front lawn.. ughh ..I would
pick a Jacaranda every time just plant it close to the edge of your
front lawn so the roots are not a problem and provide shade to your lawn
and sidewalk. Also FYI if the tree roots rise which they shouldn't if
planted deep enough and in proper planting sacks , the city is
responsible for maintaining that tree in most cities. Within 5-15 feet
in from the sidewalk most cities have responsibility for tree growth
maintenance ie tree roots which is why I encourage people to plant as
close the curb as possible. Consult your local tree foundations as to
city responsibility to canopy within 5-15 feet.. Also while these trees
are incredibly fast growing trees it will take some time before it ever
becomes an issue if at all, we are talking decades.. by then your tree
is most likely under protection of city tree ordinances. LUCKY YOU!

Will Jacrandas survive in climate such as that in Minnesota?

Too cold in Minnesota for them.

We have both and both are beautiful! Unfortunately the Crepe Myrtle is in the front yard and is so messy, we have to blow the entry daily. It combines with the messy bougainvilleas to create chaos!

2 more Crepe Myrtles are in the back on the hill, and they are so pretty there. We are obvious to any mess. Same with the two Jacarandas. We just get to enjoy their beauty because they are down the hill in the back yard.

If I had the choice I wouldn't plant either one anywhere near the front entry, sidewalks or driveway. In winter they are both dormant. Another mess! All those leaves falling....

We have 6 Crape Myrtles that were all here when we bought our house. I agree how they come to life in the Spring and I also love their color changes in the Fall. I have to disagree about them not providing shade. Five of ours are in front along the street far from the house. Everyone wants to park along the curb there because of the shade. Ours have muti-trunks that I think looks nice. Fortunately, we have someone who takes care of our lawn and any leaf cleanup (we have a lot of oak trees, too). We don't have any Jacarandas but lots of our neighbors do. I agree with you regarding the purple blooms looking pretty on the grass. One thing I know is neighbors have mentioned the blooms on the ground attracting bees, so they have to be careful where to walk. They are beautiful to look at but not my first choice for a lawn.