Thanks to hot temperatures and frequent downpours, this summer produced an explosion of crapemyrtle blooms. Pops of color ranging from red to pink to purple dot the southeast region. Thanks to its popularity, the plant is available in shapes and sizes to fit any space. History credits China with the plant’s origin and England with introduction to the states in the late 1700s. Southerners love it for three main reasons—easy to grow, adores the sun, and deer resistant. But a number of us insist on a different spelling of the name, exchanging the “a” for an “e,” as in crepemyrtle. Blame it on the plant’s crepe paper-thin flower petals if you want an explanation. Regardless of spelling, its long-lasting blooms win me over every summer.
What’s one of your favorite summer blooms (flower, tree, shrub, vine, weed, herb, you name it?
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