old-timey crape myrtle around JacksonvilleNC

22 years ago

I remember as a child, growing up in Jacksonville, NC, in the 1960's, seeing large crape myrtles around old houses that were distinctly a greyed BLUE-lavender. I live in SC now and look all summer to see one and have not. I have looked at present-day Catawba, Muscogee, Cordon Bleu, Lippan, and Yuma crapes and no matter what they call themselves, I find them to be a PINKISH violet. I was beginning to think I imagined the whole thing, but my mom (who is 90) agrees that she remembers them too. She said that was all you saw when she was a child and they were thought of as "comman" and went out of favor. Does anyone know the name of this crape myrtle or where I could get one? Thanks!

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Comments (5)

poiu
22 years ago
Have you had a chance to revisit Jacksonville and see if you can locate these same crapes that you remember?

My brief understanding is that many of today's crape hybrids really got off the ground within the past 20-30 years (since the late 60s).

So, the crapes you recall when younger (since they were already established and large), could have been planted in the 1930s, 40s and 50s--so, this tree could be a TRUE species crape myrtle. It could either be Lagerstroemia indica OR L. faureri.

Tha'ts my initial feeling in the issue. I'm not familiar with the real history of the crape myrtle in the South (as far as it's progression and ethnobotany).
dancingdachshunds
Original Author
22 years ago
That is so interesting! Now I think I will just have to make a trip back during bloom time, and see if I can find a root sucker to dig. Thanks! Guerry
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jal509
20 years ago
Hi, I am curious about your quest last year for bluish-lavender crape myrtles. I too have been searching for such a color, based on my appreciation of a fairly old tree here in Gastonia, NC. Did you discover the name of the tree you desired? If so, please let me know what it was. I guess I can try rooting, but I'd like to know the type anyway. Thanks!
dancingdachshunds
Original Author
20 years ago
I did buy some that I am very happy with...Lipan, Muskogee, Yuma, and Catawba. I think Lipan is my favorite color. And I love that they are all disease resistant. I get obsessed with things...now I've moved on to blue-lavender azaleas! Check out the great link on crape myrtles.

Here is a link that might be useful: crape myrtle varieties
perryrip
20 years ago
Poiu,

I'm in Atlanta and we had a crepe in our yard when we moved in that has a true lavender color flower. It looks like a musgokee to me, but since I didn't plant it I can't be sure. I grew up in Carolina Beach just South of Jacksonville in the late 60's as well, and Wilmnington had some beautiful crepe myrtles and azealas for sure.

perryrip