Crape myrtles are hardy, low-maintenance plants that come in a variety of sizes and colors. To encourage summer blooms, prune crape myrtles in late winter or early spring before new growth starts.

Left, the winged seeds of crape myrtle; and right, an American goldfinch feeding on crape myrtle seed. (Image courtesy Gary Graves) Each year from summer into fall, ornamental crape myrtle trees in ...

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts. An artist friend of mine calls crape myrtles “living bouquets.” In the ...