Started Crepe Myrtle at the wrong time — lessons learned

I planted Crepe Myrtle at entirely the wrong point in the growing calendar and spent the first few months wondering what I'd done wrong. verticillium wilt causing branch dieback on susceptible species didn't help matters. Once I understood formative pruning in the first five years to build a clear leader things improved substantially.

exceptional seasonal spectacle from blossom through autumn colour is what makes this plant worth persisting with. In a small garden with a compact or columnar variety chosen for scale it finally looks as good as I'd imagined. full canopy providing shade and habitat in summer redeemed the whole effort. If you're starting out: do your timing research before you plant.