Lagerstroemia indica Petite Snow

Lagerstroemia indica Petite Snow, also known as Indian Lilac or Summer Lilac, is a charming, compact deciduous bush. This variety is particularly attractive with its long summer flowering of pure white, which gives way at the end of the season to the vibrant autumn colours of the foliage. A fantastic plant for the sun and heat which produces one of the most beautiful summer blooms. This bush is hardy enough for most regions and easy to cultivate in the garden, or even in a container on a terrace.

Lagerstroemia is a representative of the Lythraceae family, which includes 31 genera and over 600 species, represented by Pomegranate (Punica) in the Mediterranean, and Loosestrife, a wild herbaceous plant that grows along watercourses. There are thirty to forty species of Lagerstroemia, trees and shrubs, deciduous or evergreen, native to southern and eastern Asia as well as Australia. Lagerstroemia indica, or Indian Lilac, whose natural habitat is distributed in China and Japan, forms a bush or a small tree, measuring up to 6 to 8 m high. This deciduous plant bears small oval leaves, which take on beautiful warm colours in autumn before falling. The species is quite hardy, down to -15°/-20°C, but it only blooms abundantly in climates with sufficiently long and hot summers.
Petite Snow 'Monhow' is a horticultural variety much more compact than the botanical species, reaching approximately 1.50 m high and 1.20 m wide at maturity. Its growth is quite rapid and its habit is more or less conical. The leaves appear relatively late in spring, between the end of March in the Mediterranean and the end of April, or even May in cooler climates. They are carried by a short petiole, ovate to elliptical, opposite or sometimes in whorls of three, measuring from 3 to 6 cm long and 2 to 4 cm wide. The young shoots are quadrangular and covered with leaves which are medium green when young and darken at maturity. This dark vegetation serves as a backdrop for the bountiful flowering of immaculate white. Beginning in July, it blooms relentlessly until September, or even October in some years. The flowers measure 3 to 4 cm in diameter and are formed by 6 wavy and frilled petals, giving them a crepe-like appearance. They are gathered in terminal panicles measuring 15 to 20 cm long. The fruits that follow are capsules, without ornamental interest. The foliage, on the other hand, takes on superb autumn colours, blending yellow, orange, and red before falling to the ground. In slightly older specimens, the bark is truly decorative, exfoliating in brown flakes, clearly visible in winter when the foliage has disappeared.

Lagerstroemia indica Petite Snow is a real gem for gardens in the south or the sunny areas. Its compactness allows it to be easily grown in containers, especially since the necessary annual pruning naturally limits its development. You can also integrate it into a bed alongside other flowering shrubs or perennials. To create an exotic scene, plant a clump of Agapanthus 'Northern Star' at its base. The fabulous blue heads of this semi-hardy plant will harmonise perfectly with the white of your Indian Lilac and flower at the same time. In the same theme, choose Caesalpinia gilliesii, or Bird of Paradise, a medium-sized shrub with a fiercely tropical appearance, with its beautiful compound foliage and yellow flowers with long red stamens. A Callistemon rigidus, or Bottlebrush, so named because of its flowers resembling bright red bottle brushes, will complete your scene and extend its flowering period into spring.