Lagerstroemia indica Houston - Crape Myrtle

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The Lagerstroemia indica 'Houston' is an Indian lilac with a compact, almost prostrate habit, becoming weeping over time, and a profuse and long-lasting deep pink summer flowering. Selected also for its good hardiness, this small deciduous bush resembling a ball of flowers will do wonders in a large pot on the terrace, but also in a rockery or at the centre of a low perennial bed. It should be given a warm and sheltered location and full sun exposure, in neutral to acidic soil.

The Lagerstroemia indica 'Houston’ is a dwarf horticultural cultivar of North American origin. It belongs to the Lythraceae family and is descended from Lagerstroemia indica, a deciduous bush native to China. 'Houston' was selected by horticulturist David Chopin. It is part of the 'Dixie' series, a lineage of Indian Lilacs with very compact vegetation, better suited to small gardens and pot culture, and increased hardiness (up to -15°C). This bush presents a habit that is first upright, then almost prostrate due to its branches that arch over time. It forms a ramified bush, with a slightly weeping crown. It will reach about 1.20 m (3 ft 11 in) in height and 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in) in spread. Its growth is slow. It chooses the month of July to start its flowering, which will continue until October. The flowers are characterised by fine pedicels each bearing five undulate-edged petals. The flowers, whose texture recalls that of a crepe, are gathered in dense panicles, at the ends of the year's branches. In 'Houston', the flowers are a very dark pink to watermelon red. The foliage, tough and deciduous, is born red, then becomes a shiny light green. It consists of small ovate leaves, which sometimes take on lovely yellow or red hues in the autumn, depending on the climate. Lastly, and to finish in beauty, its bark is of great beauty, smooth, beige striate with brown-red, peeling in coloured plates (cinnamon, faded red, old rose, cream).

Indian Lilacs traditionally make the glory of the gardens of the Southwest. Varieties like 'Houston' bring these fantastic small trees within the reach of all gardens and all sunny terraces. Of modest size, bushy and flowering, this plant is better adapted to  colder climates. In the garden, place this plant in a rockery, or install at the centre of a low bed, near the house, and you will be able to fully enjoy its generosity. It will look good in front of a bush bed, a flowering hedge. Compose a bed like a bouquet, with Campanula pyramidalis, Salvia sclarea, Aster laevis. In autumn, it accompanies the equally as colourful aster. In a pot on the terrace, it puts on a show as the summer flowerings mark time.

NB: Karl Von Linnaeus named this tree in honour of 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 action if ingested.