Lagerstroemia indica Mimie Fuchsia - Crape Myrtle

The Lagerstroemia indica 'Mimie Fuchsia' is a brand new variety of Indian Lilac that caused a sensation at the Salon du Végétal in 2017, and for good reason. This variety naturally has a very spread out slightly trailing growth, small growth, but rapid flowering from a young age, and a flowering period that is as early and generous as it is brightly coloured in vibrant fuchsia pink. This adorable bush is also resistant to powdery mildew and easy to grow in sunny, well-drained soil. Highly versatile and attractive all year round, with successive waves of flowering throughout summer, it will make a superb ground cover, a wide dome with slightly blurred shapes, or an astonishing feature for the terrace if trained as a standard. Adopt 'Mimie Fuchsia', and you'll receive compliments from everyone!

The Lagerstroemia indica 'Mimie Fuchsia' belongs to the Lythraceae family. It is a new French variety that is hardy enough to be planted in most of our regions. The Lagerstroemia indica, from which it originates, is native to China. This bush has a spreading, wide habit, supported by more or less horizontal branches that slightly trail. It naturally forms a large ground cover with a height of 1m (3ft) and a spread of 2.50m (8ft). Its lower trunk can also be cleared to train it as a standard with a height of 1m (3ft), creating a lovely small weeping bush. It has a fairly rapid growth. It chooses the month of June to start flowering, which continues in successive waves until October, even on young plants. The flowers are characterized by thin pedicels, each carrying five undulate-edged petals. The flowers, whose texture resembles that of crepe fabric, are clustered in large, dense panicles, measuring up to 30cm (12in) in length, at the ends of the branches. In 'Mimie Fuchsia', the flowers are a very bright fuchsia pink. The foliage, tough and glossy, emerges red and then turns dark green in summer. It consists of small oval leaves, which sometimes take on pretty yellow or red hues in autumn, depending on the climate. This deciduous foliage falls late in autumn, revealing a slightly twisted branching structure that is quite charming. Lastly, and to finish in style, its bark is interesting, smooth, grey-brown, peeling off in pink patches.

The Indian Lilac, which is renowned in the gardens of the South-West, deserves to be acclimatized in the colder areas of our country, by carefully choosing the variety and its location. 'Mimie Fuchsia's' hardiness, once well established, allows it to be grown in all our temperate regions, even in the North. It looks best when planted alone, near the house, and positioned higher up above a low wall, for example, so that you can fully enjoy its unique personality. It also looks great in front of a shrub border or in a large pot on the terrace, trained as a standard. Create a border like a bouquet, with Campanula pyramidalis, Salvia sclarea, Aster laevis, and many more. In autumn, it pairs well with asters and caryopteris, which are just as colourful as it is.

NB: Carl 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 with a narcotic effect if ingested.