Queen's Crape Myrtle
Lagerstroemia speciosa
You may want to grow your tree until spring in a pot then plant in your landscape. Use a light soil mix with good drainage. Buy a ‘pro mix’ type product (light bag, expensive for its size) like Lambert’s with peat moss and other organics included. Have your pot provide good drainage with rocks or shards at the bottom. Plant at the same soil depth as you see on your plant now (as shipped) If you will be planting outdoors, keep your plant outdoors in its pot until spring. To start, use morning sun then shade in afternoon. Ease your tree gradually into full sun or partial shade, if partial shade will be its final location In your outdoor landscape, soil quality is usually not important. Even dry locations are OK. But do baby your tree for a year or two with good food and light water to establish then your Queen's Crape Myrtle will be almost carefree to own (except for food) Indoors in pots, you can have your Queen's Crape Myrtle most anywhere that has lots of warmth with bright light as many hours per day as possible. Direct sun is OK indoors. Water to keep soil very lightly moist to slightly dry then water as needed over time Most any granular food or time released pellet food is fine. Avoid ongoing liquid chemical fertilizers. We suggest you feed lightly, but often during all the warm months and no food in cold months. Re-start feeding in early spring. You may feed now and again in late winter, indoors, then stay on schedule Outdoors, your Queen's Crape Myrtle is suitable for zones 10-11 and warmest parts of zone 9. The first year, if zone 9, protect against all cold below 45 degrees After your Queen's Crape Myrtle grows a little more, it likely will develop a canopy-style growth pattern. This is very nice, but assist with considered pruning to encourage tree shape (versus shrub shape with many stems). Encourage width. Top growth up will take care of itself Enjoy your very exclusive Queen's Crape Myrtle !!! |