Twilight Purple Crape Myrtle

Lagerstroemia Indica ‘Twilight’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 7a-9b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Deciduous Flowering Shrub or Tree

Height at Maturity: 15-25′

Width at Maturity: 12-15′
Spacing: 10-12′ for solid warm season privacy screen; 25’+ for space between trees

Growth Habit / Form: Bushy, Rounded, Upright, Tall

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, Bronze new growth
Fall Foliage Color: Yellow, Burgundy, Orange

Fragrant Foliage: No

Bark Color: Grey, Pink, Reddish-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!

Wow! A year-round color factory, Twilight is one of just a few Crape Myrtle trees with TRUE purple flowers. A plethora of vibrant purple flower clusters appear in early summer and continue through early fall, nearly covering the foliage. The leaves of Twilight emerge in spring displaying a wonderful bronze color turning to a rich green as they mature. Fall brings forth a brilliant show of color including bright yellow, burgundy, and orange leaves. If that’s not enough to please, the smooth gray bark peels off in summer giving way to a light pink bark that darkens to a reddish-brown coloring.

Note: As with most other Crape Myrtle varieties, the flower color of Twilight Purple can vary slightly, ranging from shades of purple when buds open on a sunny day to shades of pinkish to fuchsia-purple when flower buds open on a cloudy day. Too, flower color can change as they age.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing upright to 15 to 25 feet tall and 12 to 15 feet wide, the Twilight Purple Crape Myrtle is ideal for use as a specimen, in groupings, or in straight or staggered rows to form a screen or delineate a property line or line a driveway. Also a fine selection for use in home foundation plantings to frame corners or as an accent tree. A fine addition to purple theme gardens and bird gardens.

Suggested Spacing: 10 to 12 feet apart for warm season privacy screen; 25 feet or more apart for space between trees

Growing Preferences

Twilight Purple Crape Myrtle is very easy to grow in most any moist but well-drained soil of average fertility and full to mostly sun. Light shade is tolerated but flowering will be diminished in more shade. Has shown excellent resistance to powdery mildew and is quite drought tolerant when established. Benefits from pruning when young to form a more dense canopy that produces even more flowers. Learn how to prune the right way here: How To Prune A Crape Myrtle Tree

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!

Hello , I chose Wilson Brothers because I have been very happy with your quality plants, quality shipping, and lower than competitor prices. I love the three Crepe Myrtle Twilight plants that I recently purchased, They are sturdy, beautiful, and doing well as planted center pieces of my very large front and back yard. I appreciate your professionalism and focus on quality service. Thank you!—————————————You’re very welcome! Thanks for the kind words and awesome review! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Received very well packed, excellent condition. Planted within a day of receiving and it’s already getting leaves. No shock, quick delivery, and a quality starter.——————————————————————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 had only seen shrub-size purple Crepes available so when I found this tree-sized cultivar I decided to buy it. I got one of the gallon size & one 3-gallon size trees. When the box arrived I was surprised at the large size, vigor, and health compared to the price: they were a 5th of the price of the local nursery shrubs. Also, I had to contact customer service–what a treat! They answered questions and came up with resolutions that were more than fair. Now, I always look here first when in need of a tree.——————————————————–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

Absolutely love my new trees. They got to me fast and were packed with love and care!! Will order again.——————————————————————-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

Twilight Purple Crape Myrtle – 1 Gallon Pot received plant in excellent condition. Waiting to see how it will look after a season of being planted.————————————-I love the Twilight Crape! We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂

I’ve bought from other online trees and plants from diff sites but Wilson Bros r the best! The Crepe Myrtle was packed really great, far and above any other online sites, u might buy from! Great work by Wilson Bros!————————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks so much for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Myrtle! Received my twilight purple crape very quickly after ordering, only a few days. They were packaged well and dormant. Within two weeks the green leaf buds opened up and the bush is doing great! Looking forward to beautiful blooms! Highly recommended!—————————–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

Received 2 lovely twilight crepe myrtle. Packed well for shipping. In bloom ready to plant. It so happens this is a color crape myrtle l already have (thought l had found a different shade) but these are so lovely l will find a place for them.———————————–We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂

I wanted to let you guys know that I’ve received both of my purple crape myrtles and I was flabbergasted! These plants are beautiful! And they are large and have beautiful green leaves and they were packed perfectly with paper over the soil dampened and taped in place to keep the soil in place and tree protected. I have never had anything sent to me so well packed and in such excellent condition before. The trees are so big and healthy that I’m sure they will absolutely thrive. I know now where to get my trees from now on. Thank you!!————————————-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

Lovely tree. I can’t wait for it to bloom.————————————-We are so glad you are pleased! Beth | WBG

Plant arrived quickly and was packaged very well. A bit small for what I paid but I wanted this color. Could not plant in ground for about 3 weeks but it is doing well and is growing. If the color actually looks like the picture, I will be very satisfied.—————————————–Thanks for the review! Beth | WBG

It came in good condition. Just waiting now for it to bloom!——————————————Hi Wendy, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Twilight Purple Crape Myrtle. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! 🙂
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens

Your plants, two crape myrtles and a camellia, arrived in peak condition and ready to grow. I am accustomed to dealing with outstanding plantsmen, like Fairweather Gardens and Lazy S nursery, which is no longer in business, and am so happy to find you!——————————WBG Reply: Hi Elizabeth, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Twilight Purple Crape Myrtle. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come!
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens