Crape Myrtle and light requirements
RMartino
I recently purchased a crape myrtle due to its summer and early fall flowering.
I am not sure this is a problem but, my property is wooded with really no
areas that gets direct sun for an entire day. I plan to plant the myrtle in an
area that get direct sun for about 1.5 hours in mid summer but gets bright
light practically all day. Will my plant do well here? Everything I have read
states that crape myrtles need full sun all day.
Regards,
Bob
Leona Henderson
-- olive wrote:
>
> Not enough sun to bloom.
>
> I have one that is half shaded, half the day by a large sycamore
> tree. It grows away from it and only blooms on the branches that
> have grown out away from the shade of the tree.
>
> What you've read is correct: they need full sun to bloom. Even
> half-day sun is inadequate. Less than 2 hours and I suspect you'll
> see no bloom at all.
>
that is painfully true. My old neighbor trans-planted a line
of them along our property line and there are a lot of trees
and mostly shade and they were pathetic and as time went on
were actually stunted. He was (deceased) a fine gardner but
just didn't realize how much shade there was as he planted
them in the fall when the trees were bare when he first
bought the place.. I used to tease him by telling him I was
going to tell everyone they were mine as I always loved
crepe Myrtles. ;)
--
nTX USDA Z 7B
Leona [Lee]l...@1starnet.com
Non Commercial site http://www.geocities.com/tvksi/index.htm
Tsu Dho Nimh
>I recently purchased a crape myrtle due to its summer and early fall flowering.
> I am not sure this is a problem but, my property is wooded with really no
>areas that gets direct sun for an entire day. I plan to plant the myrtle in an
>area that get direct sun for about 1.5 hours in mid summer but gets bright
>light practically all day. Will my plant do well here?
No. It will be spindly and have few blossoms, and will die a
lingering death. They need FULL SUN.
>Everything I have read
>states that crape myrtles need full sun all day.
So why did you buy it when you didn't have a proper spot to put
it?
Tsu Dho Nimh
--
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zhanataya
wrote:
>So why did you buy it when you didn't have a proper spot to put
>it?
Sticky Pot Syndrome. All gardeners get it sooner or later. I'd be
embarrassed to list the plants I've bought using the rationalization
"Well it's alive at the nursery. I can do this."
Zhan
B & J
news:oqlpjuocgicnpsm6o...@4ax.com...
season sale because they were cheap: (Cheap is good!) 1 @ $4.95 -- 4 @
$10.00. Anyway I spent three hours in 90 degree heat with a pick ax last
year digging holes in the rocks and clay to plant them on the north side of
an oak grove where they get 3 - 4 hours of sun and bright light the rest of
the day. I babied them during the drought of last summer, and, surprisingly,
they rewarded us with a reasonable display now that is later than those in
full sun. I don't feel a bit cheated.
Nobody should be embarrassed by losing purchased plants because it is a
learning experience, and often local nurseries offer varieties for sale
unsuitable for the local growing zone and conditions. "Perennials" such as
salvia leucantha, lantana, and purple fountain grass are not hardy in our
area, but I treat one as an annual and the other as a plant (salvia
leucantha & lantana) that I find worthy of harboring inside for the winter
and the other as worthy of yearly purchase.
My feeling is that if it doesn't bankrupt your wallet, give it a try.
John
Tsu Dho Nimh
So that's what my neighbor has! It's apparently not contagious,
because I check the growth requirements before buying plants. Of
course, I think my hereditary tightwad gene protects me.
Frogleg
wrote:
>rmar...@aol.com (RMartino) wrote:
>
>
>>I recently purchased a crape myrtle due to its summer and early fall flowering.
>> I am not sure this is a problem but, my property is wooded with really no
>>areas that gets direct sun for an entire day. I plan to plant the myrtle in an
>>area that get direct sun for about 1.5 hours in mid summer but gets bright
>>light practically all day. Will my plant do well here?
>
>No. It will be spindly and have few blossoms, and will die a
>lingering death. They need FULL SUN.
>
>>Everything I have read
>>states that crape myrtles need full sun all day.
>
>So why did you buy it when you didn't have a proper spot to put
>it?
No one wants to admit they can't grow a plant they really, really
want. Or one that's on sale. Or one that looks so pretty at the garden
center. Or one somebody gave them. Or...
RMartino
certainly due to "impulse buying" but also the advise of a nursery worker who
told me that the myrtle would do just fine under the conditions I have. I did
wind up relocating it last night to a spot that will get more light (after I
cut down a rather nasty looking walnut).
Regards