Tuscarora Crape Myrtle

The Tuscarora Crape Myrtle (or Lagerstroemia indica 'Tuscarora') is a beautiful harbinger of summer with its canopy full of magnificent pink colored blooms. Reaching heights of 20-25 feet tall and 15-20 feet wide they are a drought tolerant, very adaptable, decorative blooming tree. The crapes perform best in USDA growing zones 7-9 and are considered to be prolific growers. These, like all of our crape myrtles, are highly resistant to disease, powdery mildew and leaf spotting. Crapes typically have a multi-trunked base (although singular trunks are not uncommon) and can be trained into a singular trunk look with little effort. With their adaptability they can be grown in almost any soil type and are great for small areas such as structures, parking lots, small yards and streets without taking up a lot of space but the need for something decorative. Growing at a rate of 3-5 feet per year, you won't need to wait years before seeing your tree reach its full potential.

Choosing a location: Crapes are FULL SUN lovers so try and find a spot where they will get as much sun as possible. Without the proper exposure your blooming will be substantially reduced or it may not bloom at all. The Tuscarora is very adaptable to many soil types so just be sure that the area you’re looking to plant has adequate drainage when watering.

Planting directions:
1) After you have found your planting area, make your hole twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep.
2) Carefully remove the myrtle’s root ball from the container. Lightly tapping the container around the bottom will help free it up without causing too much damage to the root system.
3) Lightly comb your hands over the root ball to free up the roots a bit before planting.
4) Place your tree in the hole and make sure that the root crown (where the root ball meets the trunk(s) of the tree) is level with the soil surface. Crapes need to be able to pull oxygen into their root systems so covering them too much may inhibit their growth.
5) Tamp down the soil lightly as you backfill the hole to prevent air pockets from forming and then water after you’ve finished to settle the soil.
6) Mulch the area around the tree to conserve water moisture and deter competing weeds and grasses from growing.

Watering: Myrtles are quite drought tolerant but may need a bit more attention with watering during the hot summer season. Depending on your soil, there may need to be more frequent waterings, especially those with very sandy soils. After planting, water regularly to start. If the climate is hot you may need to water up to five times weekly especially in lighter soils. During the cooler seasons you’ll only need to water once weekly. Proper soil moisture is important in the hot season so that you’ll have a healthier tree and better looking blooms.

Pruning: Crape pruning is always a “mixed bag” if asking anyone when and how to prune. “Crape murder” is a common term heard with those who go far beyond what is necessary when trimming their myrtles. Prune in the late winter before any of the growth begins. If done in the late fall you will jeopardize the tree’s dormancy state which can lead to the tree dying. Sterilize your cutting tools with rubbing alcohol to ensure no pathogens infect the tree and always make your cuts at a 45 degree angle.

Some prefer to chop off all of the branches at a uniformed height every year leaving the stubs for the winter season that form a ball of growth in the springtime. This is good for height control and a uniformed border but can commonly result in knobby stems and bunchy growths that are easily susceptible to disease and aphid pests. This is where the term “crape murder” comes into play. Only a light pruning of the myrtle is needed to encourage plenty of blooms but “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” when it comes to choosing the shape of your crapes.

For a more graceful tree shape, remove all but 4-5 strong trunks and then remove the lateral branches around the bottom ½ of the tree. To encourage branching, make your cuts on the longer, leggy limbs. Try not to over prune too early, do your basic pruning then allow the tree to grow a bit and then continue shaping over time. Remove any damaged, diseased, or crossing branches during the late winter. Also be sure to remove any suckers or low growths to prevent your crape from looking more shrub-like.

Fertilizing: Your Tuscarora Crape will greatly benefit from a light application of a complete, balanced, slow release fertilizer formula in the early spring and summer seasons. Slow release fertilizer will cut back on sucker growths but be aware, excessive fertilizing can lead to tree and limb growth but will inhibit the blooms from forming due to excess amounts of nitrogen.