While they continue to develop new cultivars with increased hardiness, I'm not sure there are too many selections that are inclined to bloom freely in our rather cool Puget Sound summers without some additional help. That close to the Sound you can grow crapes easily but reliable flowering may be harder to achieve. The best flowering on crape myrtles in this area is generally assisted by some sort of reflected heat source - paving, a south or west facing wall, etc.

The large 'Natchez' in the gardens at the nursery is only just now developing a few flower buds - last year with our hotter and drier summer, it was in full bloom at this time.

My 'Zuni' has been covered with blooms every summer without fail but I am probably a bit warmer than you are since you are so close to the sound.

You wrote:
"I will be removing a stand of Douglas Firs in the back
(they need to be thinned, as there are about 10 in a space that could only support 1 or 2 full-sized trees)."

If these are a remnant of a grove, and you now have 12 trees, I suggest you either remove all of the trees or you keep all of them. It's better to remove all the trees and then plant what you want rather than lose a person or structure due to a blow-down.

The reason to remove all is that the trees are companions of a sort in that they buffer the wind for each other. If the majority are removed, the remaining several trees will have a tough time standing alone, exposed to all the elements. With time -- no one will be able to tell you just how long -- the remaining 2 trees will blow down.

Consider having a certified arborist or two come for an on-site evaluation.

Hi, strictly my personal/emotional opinion: The sooner removed you are from the south, the more depressing it will be to grow them here. Even when they bloom well, it's just not the same. Revere is the key word that you used - there is no small tree/shrub I know of that exceeds it in beauty, but the full effect requires a lot more heat than we ever get here. Great for humans but your Crepe Myrtle will languish.

BOS, was in the Portland area last week and noticed crapes all over the place, most in full bloom. Further away from the moderating maritime influence, these seem to do much better. And it was a lot hotter down there than it was up here for the same days!

I'm chuckling as I'm reading this thread -

Buyorsell, my own Zuni has never, ever produced a bloom located (approx 10 years now) in my hottest possible site but just a few miles from the ocean. My 'moderating marine influence' is clearly stronger here :)

It's a lovely very dwarf tree with bronzy foliage and interesting bark and I don't plan to remove it, but I stopped looking for flower buds long ago.

I see a lot of plants in Seattle and in photos from many of you that won't thrive/survive here. Our climates are certainly closer to each other's than the rest of the USA but not exactly the same.

If it is any consolation I bought two expensive miniature crapes last year at the Hardy Plant Society Fall Sale and both did not survive winter.

I was just back home home in the Bay Area (Warmer East Bay) and was marvelling at how glorious the Crepe Myrtles are right now! Absolutely gorgeous! My mom has a tree type in Stafford , OR that does reasonably well. My mother-in-law has a hedge of the bush variety back in CA, and the cities in the East Bay streets are all lined with the tree forms. I happened to be there while they were in full bloom. It was a beautiful sight.

You should have seen them in Atlanta in July. They were gorgeous and more colors than I knew existed. The airport is covered with them.

I really wish mine was multi trunked instead of a standard.

My neighbor has one in Puyallup. It is planted next to the sidewalk in full sun. It blooms well every year in September. I suppose it gets reflected heat from the sidewalk and nearby road. It is very pretty.

I am here to sing the praises of the Crape Myrtle in Seattle. Mine are young and only about 3 years old and while they haven't bloomed yet, they are still amazing if not for brilliant fall foilage, stunning bark, amazing drought tolerance and diminutive size for the ornamental garden. I will be happy if they never bloom because they bring so much else to the table. In fact I liken their appearance to a stewartia monadelpha, but Crape Myrtle can take the sun.