landscaping

Crape Myrtle - Red

$19.95

The Red Crape Myrtle, 'Lagerstroemia indica "Rubra", is a handsome, summer-flowering, deciduous small tree or shrub. It is a favorite among Southern gardeners because of its beauty and low maintenance. The crape myrtle is valued mainly for its long period of striking summer flowers. Large clusters of red flowers appear on the tips of new branches beginning in early summer and continue into fall. After flowers fade and fall from the tree, fruit remains in the form of small brown capsules. These fruits remain throughout the winter providing winter interest along with the attractive, exfoliating bark which peels away to expose a trunk which ranges in color from many handsome shades of brown to gray. The Red Crape Myrtle is ideally suited for formal or informal design in the home landscape, street plantings and community plantings. It can be planted as a specimen or in groups, and looks attractive when underplanted with a ground cover. Crape myrtle leaves are oval and 1 to 2 inches long; they are bronze-colored when they first unfold in the spring and become yellow, orange or red before falling late in autumn. Crape Myrtle are easy to grow and if they are used for hedges, plant them 4 ot 5 feet apart. ... additional info

Native American Plum The Native American Plum tree, Prunus americana, is also known as the Native Plum, Hedge Plum, Sloe or Wild Plum. Native American Plum trees are small, deciduous, single trunk trees or a multi-stemmed shrub which occurs in rocky or sandy soils in woodlands, pastures, abandoned farms, streams and hedgerows. The 2 to 5 inch white flowers appear in early spring before the foliage appears. Flowers are followed by edible, round, red plums with bright yellow pulp which ripen in early summer. This species is usually grown for ornamental value and not for fruit production, however. Although the plums can be eaten raw, the quality is somewhat poor. The fruits are perhaps better used for preserves and jellies. The leaves turn yellow to red in autumn for great fall color. Branches and twigs are an attractive dark reddish-brown. Wildlife are attracted to the sweet fruits.