I have not read all the comments and responses, but if crape myrtle bark scale is common out there, you're in a for some issues. It has just become a problem here in Virginia in the last maybe 5 to 10 years or so.

I'm in Portland and have a CM in my backyard that reliably flowers every year. That said, it's in a protected, very hot corner of the yard where it gets bright sun nearly all day, all summer. I tried another CM in a nearby location, still sunny but not as intense, and it failed. For what it's worth.

Thank you @einportlandor & @DaveinNoVA.N.Virginia.zone7A - I really appreciate the added input & confirmation of my choice of a Japanese Maple. That scale issue - hadn’t heard of it here but read about it & maybe it will follow as CM’s gain more exposure here. The fact that einportlandor has one success & one failure is a great point - confirms it’s ’iffy’ & not something I want to take a chance on in my front yard. My Pro designer also lives in PDX, has a CM in her yard which does well. My want for a tree with more than one season interest & my space with hot west exposure is, I think, why she suggested it. I didn’t want a tree at all but I was convinced it’s best from design stand point. The trees I have are in border & close to house -1 small Hinoki, 2 small JM’s & a dwarf shore pine - all in ground 10 + years & staying put. I think my new JM will add a great touch & complements the existing larger plantings very well.

Sounds like you've made your choice KW. Funny how this discussion became quite binary between Crape Myrtle and JMaple -- there are a lot of other good choices. Also funny that I think both GG and Jordan are pointing out completely accurate, though opposing, information! Bainbridge Island WA is definitely not SW WA, which is not Portland, which is not Dallas, OR, which is where I live and garden. This town is lousy with Crape Myrtles, and with this years extraordinary heat, they are already blooming. I had a dwarf CM bloom reliably in a hot western aspect in Edmonds, WA, which is also not Bainbridge Island WA!

But speaking to your posted question, CMs are not high maintenance, and creating a multi-stem CM is easier than falling down, unless you buy a specimen that had been pruned up very high, as a "standard". I watch Jim Putnam on YouTube and he has pointed out the scale issue in SE US. I have no idea whether that pest is on the west coast, or not. CMs did sustain a lot of damage in the last big ice storm, so there is that.

I'm a very adventurous gardener and will try literally anything, but the climate is changing, and for your location in SW WA, I would lean in the direction of plants that tolerate extreme heat and drought.

@artinnaturez8b Thanks very much for your input! Well, the dye is cast & tree is ordered so, yes, Fire Glow JM it is that’s going in. Work starts tomorrow! The CM is tempting especially after reading your input. But, did I say that I just really love JM’s? I think the ’style’ of the JM will be better for my yard vibe. And, the red color will be perfect for the color scheme of red/yellow/ white/ purply blue of my yard. The designer suggested ithe CM when I questioned the smaller Tulip Magnolia she initially recommended. My question on what that tree had to offer after the spectacular blooms is what generated the CM suggestion. It has peeling bark as it ages. I do hope this Fire Glow is up for the July heat. We’ll see. I’d rather take a risk on it than on a CM so I think that makes it the right choice for me.

I just completed my front garden project (except the patio), removing the lawn and creating an enclosed space with plants. I have eleven trees there, and counting. I will definitely be adding a tree-size Manzanita in the hottest and driest SW corner. And my space is half the size of your space!

@artinnaturez8b - wow- very impressive. What are your immediate surroundings like? I’m in a small urban but incorporated with city of Vancouver neighborhood with wide streets & larger lots - 10K min but lots of one story homes so less land with large house footprint. And, still only 20’ between homes. We do have complete sidewalks on both sides of street. Quite a few of the homes in my neighborhood have taken out lawns but have just ground cover & shrubs. I was looking for more ’polish’ with a design. I love conifers & have quite a few in front - all mini & dwarf. I wanted them to be the back bone of the yard. 10 are being transplanted so I’m taking a risk they’ll survive.

I love Japanese Maples and sad they don’t do well here in Texas even the varieties that are recommended. It if hood for your zone I would take that any day over CMs. CMs do great here and put on quite a show from late May through into early July. Good luck. Love to see photos when you get things installed!!

Our lot is 6825, which is average for the 'hood. New neighborhood, we were the fourth house built. Average width street, with sidewalks. Most others have at least one very narrow (5') sideyard, while their other sideyard is usually bigger, with RV parking. I like to garden, so we chose a floor-plan that allowed 14.5' on both sides. Gardening isn't a thing here, and I don't want to look at my neighbors' largely un-gardened properties...and their massive RV's...so, eleven trees.

Typo not ”hood” meant for your area/zone

Typo didn’t mean ”hood” but rather ”good” for your zone

@Flo Mangan - I am delighted to hear from you! We cross paths with Little Bird’s grand old home in Minnesota & I’ve not seen you on her recent posts about powder room & basement flood issue. I was worried about you. About the trees - CM’s - I’m told yes they do great in the southern heat & the key is the bloom time. Southern heat is early season & constant so CM’s bloom early & long season. Here in PNW where they are a more recent introduction they have a shorter bloom season since we don’t heat up until July & then cool down by September. My Master Gardening classes preached the ”right plant, right place” mantra & I think for PNW, CM’s are right plant, wrong place. JM’s a total different story. So, we’ll see by next year how my Fire Glow JM is doing in my hot west exposure front yard!

@artinnaturez8b I have a visual of your home - an oasis of peace & beauty. The advantage you have over many is that in selecting your trees you know what they’ll look like at maturity & so can choose trees that will create a lovely landscape rather than an overgrown hodgepodge. I have 6 JM’s in my side & back yards along with green arrows, Emerald Greens, Degroot’s Spires for cover where needed. We wanted a relatively flat back yard so our foundation was dug deep - created a great walkable ’crawl space’ under the house but also put our yard at a lower elevation than either of our adjoining neighbors. Sort of a fish bowl effect that we hadn’t thought about. Thus some tall trees needed to offset the yard depth differences.

Our CMs in N. Calif. bloom and grow well, but are very susceptible to aphid infestation. Treating them is expensive and time consuming. They will drip and leave sticky residue everywhere if the aphids make the tree their home.

Daisy - wow - that is certainly a ringing endorsement for a reason to not plant a CM in my yard! Thank you! Aphids are miserable things on roses here so why not jump to a CM if available?

Just another datapoint for other PNWers who might be considering a crape myrtle for their landscape: I'm near Eugene, OR, and have 3 CMs. All bloom consistently and are healthy and happy. We had a severe ice storm last winter which took the youngest CM all the way back to the ground, but it is now thriving and covered with buds.

Just to be clear, you cannot paint all of the PNW with the same brush, climate-wise, The climate in Eugene, OR is much different from that of Vancouver WA and even more different from that of the greater Seattle area. No one is saying crape myrtles cannot be grown in this area......only that their inclination to flower reliably will be extremely location dependent.

As a example, it may be 96F today in Eugene but it is only 75F here in the Seattle area.

And, it was 94 degrees here in Vancouver today - the day my new yard plant installation happened. Yikes! This is my new Fire Glow Maple. I’m happy with it - a nice companion to the Crimson Queen & Viridis Maple already in this front yard. Thanks @gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9) !

Looks nice. A crepe myrtle would have been more striking, but the Fire Glow is a safe choice!

Appreciate the input PlantLady! You know the sayings about what makes horse races and beauty being in the eye of the beholder! 😊 I agree the CM might’ve been stunning for @ 2months of year in my area. For me, who was lusting for another Japanese Maple, my choice is perfect. It joins 2 other JM’s in front of house & 6 in back - 3 of those are Butterfly Maples. I feel my choice was more strategic & complementary rather than safe or boring. Top dressing is being spread around now so I may soon have a view of my yard from across the street. Their work equipment trailer has been parked out front for a week.

One of the strongest but seldom understood or voiced concepts underlying good landscape design is genius loci, meaning the pervading spirit or character of a place. IMO, a Japanese maple is far more in keeping with the genius loci of most of the PNW than is a crape myrtle. Not just a "safe" choice (whatever that is) but a thoughtful and considered one. And in many gardeners' opinion, a Japanese maple is just as striking as a CM might be......and some quite a bit more so.

Why did you go with a Fireglow JM? I see it wasn't in your original post. There are so many beautiful ornamental out there to choose from for that area!

PlantLady, you said ’for that area’ - where are you located - or what is your area?

There are several reasons for my choice.

1. Japanese Maple - I wanted this in first place since I love them & a JM would better fit my existing landscape plants of conifers & 2 JMs. The designer seemed to want a flowering ornamental but really, they’re too fussy for my landscape. I was very iffy about the CM all along.

2. West exposure of my yard & hot. Fireglow is heat tolerant & retains red color better than many other red JM’s

3. Size conditions - I wanted a smaller tree which FG is

4. Color - red fits - wanted red

5. Leaf shape - didn’t want dissectum - I have a Viridis which is that

6. Didn’t want weeping - have a Crimson Queen which is that

7. I had a Blood Good in my last home & loved it - this Fireglow is better for the space.

8. After a knowledgeable plant / landscape person from my general area suggested a Fireglow, I discussed, with local to me plant specialist folks, this tree & my specific growing conditions along with my landscape design. These 4 independent of each other people were uniform & consistent with their recommendations & confirmation of good fit for a Fireglow for me.

Is that enough reasons? You’re correct in that there are so many beautiful trees to choose from - just in the JM line let alone the ornamental line - it’s a hard choice because it’s not like a 5 gal plant that didn’t work so I’ll just pull it out. I’m not looking back or regretting my choice.

Hi KW! I am in Lake Stevens, north of Seattle.

You have a nice specimen there and it fits the space well. This red is an eye catcher, too. It gives off that Fall coloring brilliance during the entire growing season! Are those Goshiki Osmanthus, too? The color variety you chose is very picturesque.

Hello PlantLady, I am familiar with Lake Stevens. I lived & worked in Seattle area for 20+ years before moving to South end of WA. Last word on trees - my all time favorite is Acer Griseum / Paper Bark Maple. Not a JM but gorgeous in all seasons. I had 3 in my yard in last home but alas, no room in current yard. Fortunately they seem to like them as street trees here & there are many.

Yes, there are 4 Goshiki Osmanthus in the larger part of my new landscaping, I have 3 existing on the smaller opposite side yard. I had them in my last home in Seattle area & they held up so well to a southern exposure & in front of windows - so lots of reflected heat. The designer did a good job incorporating existing plants into design. There’s a definite color scheme of yellow/red/ blue/purple with white accent.

Here is Fireglow as seen at Bauman Farms today. I tried to capture the foliage with backlighting.

Thank you so very much @artinnaturez8b ! Stunning! I just took this shot out my front door. It’s smokey from fires somewhere & almost 7:30 PM so no sun from that west exposure..But, it shows what a feature my tree is in my new front yard! Much nicer than looking at the neighbor’s back yard fence across the street!

Here’s a closer view of my new Fireglow

Hi KW. I just saw this post pop up. My Fire Glow looks much like yours right now. As a matter of fact, it's fully green with red outlining some leaves. My neighbor has Boodgood in the front of his house, facing south, and it actually has more red than my FG. At this point, I really don't know what to make of the color except that it is bright red in May.

Are you planning on pruning off those lower branches this fall?

I'm just west of Portland and I see a lot of blooming crape myrtles here.

KW, I just need to remark that your new Fire Glow does not look like any FG's in my area or those available at area nurseries. As I noted early on, FG is known for its intensely red foliage all season long regardless of sun exposure. Even those sited in heavy shade will still remain red, although somewhat less intensely so. This reputation makes it a very popular choice for very open, sunny and hot areas where JM's can be grown. In fact, this cultivar's red coloring is enhanced by sun, not washed out as a result of it.

Unfortunately, there are a great many purveyors of Japanese maples that are less than scrupulous in their propagation methods and are selling inferior plants or those that have not been propagated clonally, resulting in trees that do not maintain all the characteristics of the parent cultivar. I hope that is not the case with yours and it is just the August planting time and associated inevitable transplant shock that has washed out the coloring temporarily..

“FG is known for its intensely red foliage all season long regardless of sun exposure.”

Like many red-leafed Japanese maples, FG bronze or turn greenish in the heat of the summer regardless. Misidentified or not, this is a very nice tree.

" Like many red-leafed Japanese maples, FG can turn more green in the heat of the summer regardless. "

Sorry but this is just not true!! It is excess shade that causes some - not all - red leafed JM's to bronze or 'green out' (lose color), not sun or heat. Growers of JM's intended for hot and sunny locations almost without exception recommend Fire Glow as it does not lose its coloring in either full sun or heavy shade.

• One of the most heat-tolerant Japanese maples, ‘Fireglow’ keeps its brilliant burgundy color even during periods of intense heat.
• 'Fireglow' leafs out as a bright red, before maturing to a deep maroon for the summer. 'Fireglow' will get an orange-red glow to the back side of the leaf when grown in the sun, giving the tree a brighter appearance and making it glow, when looking up from below. 'Fireglow' turns to a brighter fiery red in the fall.
• When the sun comes through the leaves of this tree the effect is a breathtaking luminous red. The best small red tree. Very sun and heat tolerant. Developed in Alabama by Harold Johnson, grows in full sun in the hot, humid south. Fireglow tends to hold it’s red color in the heat better than Bloodgood and other red palmatums.
• Fireglow tends to have a brighter red leaf color. New growth on this vigorous, upright cultivar is bright cherry red that darkens some throughout the summer without fading.

It looks like optimal results with crepe myrtles in the PNW is both site and variety-dependent, as this article indicates:

https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/the-best-blooming-crape-myrtles-for-seattle-summers/

A facet of growing crepe myrtles that shouldn't be overlooked is their ability to provide excellent fall color.

Maintenance of crepes in my area (central Kentucky) involves pruning dead wood in spring (some varieties here in zone 7a are fully wood-hardy while others tend to get killed to the ground by temps in the single digits below zero). Apart from that, I need to spray at intervals in Japanese beetle season to keep them from munching on flowers and leaves. Haven't had any aphids or scale problems.

I wouldn't worry about what's "out of place" in a particular region. Trying to conform to others' perceptions about what's suitable in your location means doing without many great plants. I combine "traditional" hardy perennials with tropical-looking elements like hardy bananas and elephant ears along with crepe myrtles, dwarf palmettos etc. and the results are pleasing to me - which in the end is all that matters.

Anyone that has been considering growing crape myrtle has surely noticed the explosion of new cultivars in recent years. The focus seems to be on compact growth and dark summer foliage. I wonder if anyone in the PNW is trialing these new ones for performance here?

This is my second summer with Black Diamond Purely Purple. The black summer foliage was outstanding last summer. The flowers were excellent, but it didn't bloom for as long as I hoped. It had zero fall foliage color. This summer the black foliage is even better, but it has not started blooming yet, buds aren't even visible, and it has received a tremendous amount of heat and sun, both direct and reflected. Many other CMs in town have been blooming for weeks. It is also growing very slowly for me.

@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9) , @artinnaturez8b & @rusty_blackhaw Thank you each for your comments. Rusty, I couldn’t read the SeaTimes piece without a subscription - sorry as is of interest. So, artinnature’s experience is a reason I really wasn’t sold on a CM for my new front yard scape. If I was planting it for the flowers that might be an iffy proposition. And, Rusty’s description of seasonal maintenance is another big reason - JM don’t require that much effort to keep healthy & happy! Bottom line was that I wanted a JM all along & I think that it does fit my yard look very well. The new growth I see on a few branches is a beautiful red.

I've read that article before, I think its pretty old? It might be on xeraplants.com.

@artinnaturez8b Thanks so much! I found a plethora of info on the various CM’s for PNW & the Zuni that was in my design is included. It has some great attributes but from the description & pictures I wouldn’t have been happy. Mature height too high - 17’ & it’s really a widely spread tree form - lots of angled trunks. You can see from my pic of my Fireglow that though it’s vase shaped & more than 1 trunk or main branching from lower down, it is more ’restrained’. I think Zuni would fit my patio but not my front yard. Maybe as my designer remarked to me I do need to ”loosen up”. 😁 She noted that my existing yard had so many round shapes. To that I replied that, well, yes, that’s kind of how dwarf & mini conifers grow. It’s not like I’m pruning everything with hedge clippers. Thank you for the link!

The Seattle Times article is from 2022. I don't have a subscription, so not sure why it would be unavailable to other non-subscribers.

Anyway, good that KW has a tree that pleases.

@rusty_blackhaw About the SeaTimes piece - it might be my location - when I click on link they can tell I’m in the subscribing area so of course they want me to pay to read. I’ve run into that with recent editorial opinion columns written by local Seattle authors that I’ve tried getting access to - no luck unless I subscribe to the e-version of paper.

My Fire Glow has had some new growth this summer and it is bright red, as should be expected.
Conifer Kingdom in Silverton OR shows Fire Glow in their gardens and it has changed to green in summer.
https://www.coniferkingdom.com/acer-palmatum-fireglow-fireglow-japanese-maple/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwiOy1BhDCARIsADGvQnDDF_L1_NPQhgwp78JvuNUiQrfNBJJXYHzXBOBlLS0yPTvb--0CoVMaAsSfEALw_wcB
Here's another from a Wisconsin grower.
https://www.ebertsgreenhouse.com/Plant-Name/Acer-palmatum-Fireglow-Fireglow-Japanese-Maple
It's funny that their descriptions say burgundy in summer when their own specimens prove that that isn't true. Red in May, dark red around mid-July, green until leaf fall.

Hi Eileen, yes, that is interesting. I see new growth on mine & it is bright red. I have no clue about the conditions my tree was sitting in prior to being planted in my yard. It’s such a nice size & shape I hope it does well. It was such a lovely cool day today & I took advantage of it by giving all my 10 dwarf & mini conifer transplants a drink of transplant fertilizer - I gave the Fireglow & Verdoni Hinoki a shot of it too. Can’t hurt, right?

“transplant fertilizer”

Superthrive?

Jordan - I used Fertilome Root Stimulator and Plant Starter Solution 4-10-3. Mixed in watering can & applied amounts proportional to size of plant. I wanted to use it on my 10 dwarf & mini conifer transplants especially as I think they’re at higher risk than anything that came directly out of a pot.

No need to fertilize new transplants. 4-10-3 Fertilome Root Stimulator can be a concern for new transplants. Phosphorus is essential for root development, but too much can be harmful, especially if the soil already has sufficient phosphorus levels. Excessive phosphorus can lead to nutrient imbalances, particularly with micronutrients like iron and zinc, which can inhibit root growth and overall plant health.

For new transplants, especially those considered to be at higher risk, a more balanced fertilizer or one with lower phosphorus content might be advisable unless a soil test indicates a specific need for additional phosphorus. Additionally, over-fertilization can burn the roots, especially for plants already under transplant stress.

It shouldn’t be problematic but avoid repeated use during the acclimation period.

I love the variety of colors, shapes and textures in your landscape!

Hello LB my friend! Yes, the plants are filling out nicely & lots of interest in them. I can’t wait until those 8 Bobo hydrangeas are in bloom with their huge white blossoms! That should be splendid against the all the purple & reds.

I love seeing how your garden grows! My 18 hour roses are in bloom. You have to go out and enjoy them right away, because they’ll be gone by tomorrow! I also have a terrible aphid infestation on all my roses, so hopefully spraying will keep my plants alive.

LB - do you spray aphids with soapy water? Supposed to be magic cure. Those roses are gorgeous. They keep blooming all summer right? I just came home from a walk around a park here & it’s filled with blooming white lilac trees and roses that look just like yours & abelia. The fragrance is heavenly!

I used Bonide Insecticidal Soap, which I think is basically soapy water. Mine are Purple Pavement roses and they do not bloom all summer. I get a big bloom like this in the spring for about a week, and just a sprinkling later in the summer. They do smell wonderful, but truly last less than a day, so what you see today will all be gone the next. If you breathe on them, they’ll be gone even sooner!

Well, they look spectacular while they’re there!