Norfolk Botanical Garden has approximately 250 plants in the genus Lagerstroemia representing 82 different species and cultivars. These trees can be found throughout the Garden, but most of them are found in the Flowering Arboretum. Near the center of the arboretum is a planting of crape myrtles where visitors may compare the various qualities of the many different species and cultivars.
Crape myrtles are a group of small to large trees that originated in Asia. A long flowering period in the summer, good fall color and interesting bark make this an attractive tree for several seasons. This tree was one of the favorites of Fred Heutte, supervisor of Norfolk’s City Parks and later the first Director of the Garden. He planted many trees both in the Garden and throughout the city of Norfolk as a street tree.
A Sampling of our Collection
 Lagerstroemia ‘Firebird’ |
 Lagerstroemia ‘Petite Embers’ |
 Lagerstroemia ‘Pink Lace’
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 Lagerstroemia ‘Prairie Lace’
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 Lagerstroemia x ‘Choctaw’
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 Lagerstroemia ‘Watermelon Red’
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 Lagerstroemia ‘Snow’ |
 Lagerstroemia x ‘Natchez’ |
 Lagerstroemia ‘Near East’ |
 Lagerstroemia ‘Fantasy’ |
 Lagerstroemia x ‘Yuma’
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 Lagerstroemia ‘Cherry Dazzle’
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 Peeling bark of (from left) Lagerstroemia ‘Townhouse’, Lagerstroemia ‘Lipan’ and Lagerstroemia ‘Fantasy’ |
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