THE GARDEN HAS THE ONLY RECOGNIZED COLLECTION OF CRAPEMYRTLES IN NORTH AMERICA!

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 crapemyrtles where visitors may compare the various qualities of the many different species and cultivars.

The Crapemyrtle collection is designated an Official North American Collection by the North American Plant Collection Consortium (NAPCC) in 2013. NAPCC is a program of the American Public Gardens Association in cooperation with the USDA Agricultural Research Service. As part of this national designation, the Garden is committed to holding and developing collection of documented living plants according to specified standards. In addition, NAPCC-recognized plant collections are available for selection and breeding, taxonomic study evaluation, utilization, and other research purposes.

Crapemyrtles 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 significant number of crapemyrtles were donated by Eddie and MacDonald Garden Center.

A SAMPLING OF OUR COLLECTION

Lagerstroemia ‘Firebird’
Lagerstroemia ‘Petite Embers’
Lagerstroemia ‘Pink Lace’
Lagerstroemia ‘Prairie Lace’
Lagerstroemia x ‘Choctaw’
Lagerstroemia ‘Watermelon Red’
Lagerstroemia ‘Snow’
Lagerstroemia x ‘Natchez’
Lagerstroemia ‘Near East’
Lagerstroemia ‘Fantasy’
Lagerstroemia x ‘Yuma’
Lagerstroemia ‘Cherry Dazzle’
Peeling bark of (from left) Lagerstroemia ‘Townhouse’, Lagerstroemia ‘Lipan’ and Lagerstroemia ‘Fantasy’

NBG Crapemyrtle List

  • Lagerstroemia × ‘Carolina Beauty’
  • Lagerstroemia × ‘Near East’
  • Lagerstroemia × ‘Petite Embers’
  • Lagerstroemia × ‘Petite Orchid’
  • Lagerstroemia × ‘Petite Pinkie’
  • Lagerstroemia × ‘Petite Plum’
  • Lagerstroemia × ‘Petite Snow’
  • Lagerstroemia × ‘Sioux’
  • Lagerstroemia × ‘Yuma’
  • Lagerstroemia × ‘Zuni’
  • Lagerstroemia fauriei ‘Fantasy’
  • Lagerstroemia indica ‘Byers Hardy Lavender’
  • Lagerstroemia indica ‘Catawba’
  • Lagerstroemia indica ‘Chica Pink’
  • Lagerstroemia indica ‘Chica Red’
  • Lagerstroemia indica ‘Choctaw’
  • Lagerstroemia indica ‘Lipan’
  • Lagerstroemia indica ‘Monimp’
  • Lagerstroemia indica ‘Peppermint Lace’
  • Lagerstroemia indica ‘Pink Ruffles’
  • Lagerstroemia indica ‘Regal Red’
  • Lagerstroemia indica ‘Royalty’
  • Lagerstroemia indica ‘Twilight’
  • Lagerstroemia indica ‘Victor’
  • Lagerstroemia indica ‘Watermelon Red’
  • Lagerstroemia ‘Sarah’s Favorite’
  • Lagerstroemia ‘Seminole’