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Lagerstroemia fauriei,
Japanese Crapemyrtle

Looking for a crapemrytle that will make a canopy tree? Looking for a great medium sized (50 feet) street or shade tree with spectacular bark and trunk structure? You just found it. Japanese Crapemyrtle grows best in full sun with rich, moist soil but will tolerate less hospitable positions in the landscape just as well, once it becomes established. However, plants left on their own in highway medians appear to be less vigorous unless ample mulch is applied out to the drip line. Plants could defoliate in severe drought but new foliage and flowers typically emerge when rain returns. It will probably grow well in limited soil spaces in urban areas such as along boulevards and in parking lots.

Many crapemyrtles are magnets for a host-specific aphid that only infests crapemyrtle, not other plants. The damage this causes is not lethal to crapemyrtle. Many beneficial insects which feed on pests that damage other landscape plants use this aphid for food. In this way, the crapemyrtle aphid serves as prey for beneficial insects. Therefore, planting crapemyrtle that attract aphids can enhance biological control of insect pests on other plants in the landscape. This species does not appear to be as prone to attract aphids as are others.

This plant is considered mostly allergy free and causes little or no allergy problems in most people.