Crape myrtle, Lagerstroemia: 5 varieties with black foliage

Lagerstroemia indica Black Diamond® ‘Pure White’

Imagine flowers gathered in dense panicles at the ends of the branches, their petals delicately frilled in immaculate white. These flowers belong to the variety ‘Pure White’ of Lagerstroemia indica, a crape myrtle in the Black Diamond® series which is touted as revolutionary for the colour of its almost-black foliage. The contrast is all the more striking as the flowers display pure whiteness, animated by the golden yellow of the stamens. This deciduous foliage consists of small, tough, oval and pointed leaves with slightly undulate margins. From bud burst, it clothes itself in rich dark tones ranging from burgundy, through chocolate, to purplish-violet. In autumn, before dropping, the leaves take on largely purplish hues. This colour is also seen in the pedicels and the floral buds, which later create the surprise by giving rise to flowers of absolute whiteness. The flowering starts in July and continues through September.

This crape myrtle with almost-black foliage is notable for its hardiness down to -18°C, its fairly rapid growth and its ease of cultivation provided it enjoys full sun and a well-drained, rich and rather humus-bearing soil, neutral or slightly acidic.

In a white garden, this Lagerstroemia indica Black Diamond® ‘Pure White’ will thrive in a large shrub border alongside Rugosa rose ‘White Double of Coubert’, shrubby potentilla ‘Abbotswood’ whose delicate white flowers at the heart echo those of the crape myrtle, a white spiraea, or Escallonia ‘Iveyi’. To this white tableau, one can add plants with silvery foliage such as Senecio candidans ‘Angel Wings’ or the purple spikes of Veronica ‘Silbersee’.

[image tag preserved] Le Lagerstroemia ‘Pure White’ associated with Potentilla ‘Abbotswood’, Rugosa rose ‘White Double of Coubert’, Senecio ‘Angel Wings’ and Veronica ‘Silbersee’

Lagerstroemia indica Black Diamond® ‘Shell Pink’

With Lagerstroemia indica Black Diamond® ‘Shell Pink’, the show lasts all summer. Indeed, from July to September, this crape myrtle is covered with a multitude of crepe-textured and densely packed flower clusters that display a vivid pink, very striking. Enhanced by a bouquet of yellow stamens at their heart, they bloom in panicles at the tips of the current year’s new shoots. This bright colour contrasts wonderfully with the foliage, quite rare, a purple-brown so dark that it appears black. The oval leaves shine from spring to autumn, a season when they take on purple-violet reflections. As for the flower buds, they emerge in deep pink, fade gently, then open to flowers with frilly edges.

Beyond its ornamental qualities, this crape myrtle variety in the Black Diamond series, developed by John Berry Nurseries based in Texas, is hardy to -18°C, relatively drought-tolerant and resistant to powdery mildew. It forms a bush that hardly exceeds 2.5 m to 3 m in height with a spread of 2 m. Fast-growing, this Lagerstroemia ‘Shell Pink’ also features a bark that, with age, peels in patches of various colours.

Because of the unusual colour of its foliage and the vivid pink of its flowering, this crape myrtle deserves a specimen planting, in a large black pot. On a balcony or terrace, it will steal the show during the period when other flowering times slow down. In a border where it will easily sit at the back, it can perfectly pair with dahlias and cosmos, and hardy geraniums to dress the base of its trunk. As for the delightful panicles of Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanille Fraise’, they pair beautifully with the frilly flowers of this crape myrtle.

The Lagerstroemia ‘Shell Pink’ paired with Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanille Fraise’

The Lagerstroemia indica Black Diamond® ‘Best Red’

The deciduous foliage of the glossy-black Lagerstroemia indica Black Diamond® ‘Best Red’ provides a striking backdrop for the vivid red flowers that open in midsummer, from July through to the onset of autumn. The conical panicles of this crape myrtle brighten the garden for almost three months. But this flowering goes through several colour stages: the flower buds display a fairly dark purplish-red, then the flowers open, pale red at first before turning to a deep red, and then returning to a relatively pale shade before fading. As for the foliage, which retains its deep purple hue from spring to autumn, it takes on truly black tones before dropping. Hardy to -15 to -18°C, this crape myrtle also tolerates moderate drought if planted in rich, cool and well-drained soil. However, it requires full sun, which will not alter the dark aspect of its foliage. This crape myrtle with dark foliage and intense red flowering could be incorporated into a border of shrubs with coloured wood, for example alongside Cornus sanguinea or a Japanese maple, such as Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’, a safe bet.

Lagerstroemia ‘Best Red’ with dogwood and Japanese maple ‘Bloodgood’

Lagerstroemia indica Black Diamond® ‘Purely Purple’

The Lagerstroemia indica Black Diamond® ‘Purely Purple’ belongs to the same range as the previous crape myrtles. It features very dark foliage that appears almost black, completely unusual in the plant world. This colour persists throughout the crape myrtle’s growing season, from its relatively late bud burst period to the shedding of leaves, which beforehand take on even darker shades. This oval, hardy, glossy foliage wonderfully sets off a mauve-violet flowering, each flower enhanced by a dense bouquet of golden-yellow stamens. As with all varieties in the range, ‘Purely Purple’ bears flowers with petals delicately ruffled and creped. They are gathered in dense panicles at the ends of the year’s shoots.

Lagerstroemia indica Black Diamond® ‘Purely Purple’

This crape myrtle forms a shrub with a bushy, ramified habit at the base, a rounded and slightly upright crown. It reaches up to 2.50 m in height and 2 m in width. Over time, its smooth bark peels away in decorative coloured plates, very ornamental in winter.

Lagerstroemia indica Black Diamond® ‘Purely Purple’ will thrive in a border featuring a violet gradient. It can be paired with Buenos Aires verbena (Verbena bonariensis), a mealy sage (Salvia farinacea), a nepeta (catmint), a Perovskia (Russian sage), plants and shrubs linked by a Senecio cineraria ‘Silver Dust’ (dusty miller). At their feet, feel free to plant or sow Petunias ‘Lavender Sky’ or ageratums.

Lagerstroemia indica Black Diamond® ‘Lavender Lace’

The Lagerstroemia indica Black Diamond® ‘Lavender Lace’ offers softer flower tones, a very delicate lavender-lilac shade. By contrast, the foliage still bears this deep black hue that never alters from spring to autumn, even in full sun. This variety flowers a little earlier than its congeners, since the petals are very undulate and crimped, opening from June and continuing through August. As for the floral buds, they are a purplish-red that contrasts wonderfully with the pastel violet blooms, themselves enhanced by golden-yellow stamens. With a fairly moderate growth habit, this variety remains modest in size: it does not exceed 3 m in height with a 2.5 m spread.

Obviously, this Lagerstroemia variety will benefit from being planted as a specimen to enjoy its rare foliage colour, its very refined lavender-violet flowering, and its smooth bark that peels in coloured plates as it ages. Nevertheless, planting it in a border would suit it as well. You can therefore play it safe by pairing this crape myrtle with lilac-mauve flowering varieties with white or with various shades of pink, lighter or darker. Or dare the violet-and-orange contrast, a colour that pairs well with the foliage for deep purple leaves. Thus, Lagerstroemia indica Black Diamond® ‘Lavender Lace’ can be planted alongside Coreopsis, cannas, avens (Geum) ‘Tatally Tangerine’ or Achillea millefolium ‘Terracotta’.

The Lagerstroemia ‘Lavender Lace’ with avens ‘Tatally Tangerine’ and Achillea millefolium ‘Terracotta’