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, 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!