Catawba Purple Crape Myrtle

Lagerstroemia Indica ‘Catawba’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 7a-10b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Deciduous Flowering Shrub or Tree

Height at Maturity: 10-12′

Width at Maturity: 10-12′
Spacing: 8′ for solid hedge; 15’+ for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Bushy, Rounded, Upright

Growth Rate: Fast

Flower Color: Bright Purple

Flowering Period: All Summer – up to 120 days!

Flower Type: Single flowers in large rounded to elongated clusters

Fragrant Flowers: No

Foliage Color: Rich Green
Fall Foliage Color: Bright Red

Fragrant Foliage: No

Bark Color: Grey, Brown

Sun Needs: Full Sun or Mostly Sun

Water Needs: Average, low when established

Soil Type: Clay, Loam, Sand, Silt

Soil Drainage: Well Drained

Soil pH: 5.0 – 6.5

Maintenance / Care: Low

Attracts: Visual Attention, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Birds

Resistances: Deer – more info, Disease, Moderate Drought, Heat

Description

When it comes to flowering trees, there’s simply no others more showy than Crape Myrtles. They bloom for up to 100 days during summer, when there are few other trees and shrubs providing that service in the landscape. Colorful fall foliage and attractive exfoliating bark in winter enhance their overall appeal. It’s no wonder they are so wildly popular among designers and gardeners!

The Catawba Crape Myrtle is one of a few crape myrtle trees with true, dark purple flowers. Abundant large flower clusters nearly covering the foliage begin appearing in early summer and continue through early fall. But brilliant flower color isn’t the only special attribute. The leaves of Catawba emerge an attractive bronze color in spring before maturing to rich green in summer and finally to a brilliant orange-red in fall.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing to 10-12 feet tall and 10 to 12 feet wide, Catawba Crape Myrtle is ideal for use as a specimen or in groupings in landscape borders and home foundation plantings. Also nice in straight or staggered rows to line a driveway or property line. A fine addition to purple theme gardens.

Spacing: 8 feet apart for solid hedge; 15 feet apart for space between trees

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7a, where this Crape Myrtle variety is not reliably winter hardy, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

Growing Preferences

Catawba Crape Myrtle is very easy to grow. It is not picky about soil type provided the soil is well-drained. A moist but well-drained soil of average fertility is preferred. Full sun is preferred and results in heavier flower production. Light shade is tolerated but flowering will be diminished in more shade. Has shown high resistance to powdery mildew and is quite drought tolerant when established.

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Crape Myrtle trees.

How To Plant A Crape Myrtle In The Ground Or In A Pot

How To Prune a Crape Myrtle Tree the Right Way

How To Fertilize & Water A Crape Myrtle

How To Prune a Dwarf Crape Myrtle

Choosing the Right Crape Myrtle

Plant Long & Prosper!

Meet The Wilson Brothers & Staff

Questions? Contact Us!

I’m very happy I found WiIson Bros Gardens. I bought the one gallon Catawba Crape Myrtle. It was a good price and free shipping. It arrived on July 1st,, well packaged, no damage or wilting and a very healthy size. I placed it in it’s new pot the next day. Today (July 19th) it’s first blooms opened. I’m very happy with my purchase.—————————————————–Thanks so much for the photo! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I purchased a Catawba purple crape myrtle as a Mother’s Day gift. The entire experience was positive and the recipient (zone 10) was thrilled: Easy ordering, tree arrived well packaged and in excellent condition. Not one dead leaf or spilled soil. Thank you!———————————————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I personally think you guys are doing everything right. I don’t see how it can get any better
thanks. Glad I found you guys on the internet…………………………………..Wow! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I believe the shipping process, although very efficient, took more time than usual. This plant was in very sad condition when it arrived, due to soil/packaging being very dry. The plant responded to watering after about two days. I know that shipping delays happen but I was surprised by the amount of time/days it took for this plant to arrive at its new home, but now, all is well. Thank you.——————————————–So glad it’s recovering….sorry for the shipping delay. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I’ve never received such a beautiful young tree. It was shipped promptly and very safely. It is doing very well where I have planted it. Many new leaves. I will definitely order from Wilson Bros. again.————————————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Ordered 3; all arrived in good condition and are now just beginning to leaf out. They are not in the ground yet as I am protecting them from the Red Bud winter cold temps and the Blackberry Winter cold temps. I hope they do well once planted.————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG