Lagerstroemia indica Enduring Red

The Lagerstroemia indica 'Enduring Red' is a Indian Lilac with a particularly compact habit. Its bright red flowering is both early and long-lasting, as this variety reblooms throughout the summer. Its foliage is also noteworthy: the young shoots are purplish before turning green, and then the bush adopts a warm autumnal red colouration. This Lagerstroemia is a true four-season plant; after the leaves fall, the winter allows us to admire its beautiful bark. When exposed to full sun, whether in the ground or in a container, this Lagerstroemia will express its full potential in a rich, fresh, and well-drained soil or growing substrate.

The Lagerstroemia indica is a member of the Lythraceae family, which includes about thirty relatively unknown genera in our gardens, with the exception of the small Cuphea in the Mediterranean region and the pomegranate (formerly classified in the Punicaceae family but now included in the Lythraceae family). In nature, we also find the Common Loosestrife, a lovely flowering plant found near water. Woody species of Lythraceae are native to warm areas of the globe, such as the Mediterranean or the tropics. Lagerstroemias are native to tropical Asia, with the L. indica species originating from China and Japan, where it is used as an ornamental plant in Southeast Asia, for example in the Philippines. It is generally a tall shrub, reaching 5 or 6 meters (16 feet 5 inches or 19 feet 8 inches) in height, developing on multiple axes. Nurseries also offer plants trained as trees with a single trunk.

The 'Enduring Red' variety is a recent selection (2009) chosen for its very compact habit and superb flowering. When fully grown, it reaches only 1.50 meters (4 feet 11 inches) in height and 1 meter (3 feet 4 inches) in width, and branches well even without pruning. Its upright and dense branches see the emergence of young purplish leaves in spring, which turn into a shiny dark green during the growing season. In early July, the spectacular flowering appears, in the form of abundant clusters of bright red flowers. This flowering continues throughout the summer, making this shrub a remarkable focal point in the garden. In autumn, the foliage takes over by turning red. After the leaves fall, the smooth and highly decorative bark, peeling off in plates, becomes a new attraction, particularly in rainy weather when it is highlighted.
Resistant to approximately -15°C (5 °F) and pollution, it is an excellent plant for small urban gardens, as well as for terraces.

This small Enduring Red Lagerstroemia will be perfect in a decorative container or large pot. It will bring an explosion of colour during the summer, a time when few shrubs are in bloom. Requiring regular watering during this season, it should, on the contrary, be kept relatively dry after the leaves fall, in a frost-free but cool location in cold regions. If you choose to plant it in the ground in the garden, it can be associated with other plants in diverse flower beds, either by selecting staggered blooms throughout the season or by creating a cluster of summer flowers. To benefit from a wide choice of colours, you can then associate it with roses, Hibiscus syriacus, or Hydrangeas.

The Indian Lilac also has many other evocative and charming names; crepe myrtle, crape myrtle, lagerose, curly Chinese myrtle, crepe paper flower. Carl Linnaeus named this tree to pay tribute to his friend Magnus von Lagestroem (1696-1759), who had sent it to him from India for identification. Originally, this tree was used to decorate Chinese temples. We would like to point out that this tree produces fruits that have a narcotic effect if ingested.