Lagerstroemia indica Rhapsody In Blue - Crape Myrtle

The Lagerstroemia indica 'Rhapsody in Blue' is a very lovely variety of indian lilac with a compact, upright habit. Its dark pink, somewhat purple flowering lasts all summer and into autumn, a time when few other bushes can compete with its generosity. It is also decorative due to its purple foliage, well matched to the colour of its flower clusters. Limited in growth and tolerating pruning well, this bush can also be grown in pots in the colder regions. It has all the qualities for adorning small gardens and terraces and will thrive in full sun, in fertile, light, not too dry soil.

The Indian Lilac 'Rhapsody in Blue' belongs to the small family of Lythraceae, known for also hosting the pomegranate (Punica granatum), of which there are flowering and fruiting species, as well as the Cuphea, some species of which are used as flowering perennials on the Mediterranean coast. These are indeed moderately to slightly hardy plants, with Lagerstroemia being one of the hardiest, since it resists temperatures down to -10°C to -15°C. However, it needs heat to flower, which limits its interest in northern areas, even though its bark becomes decorative over time, as the branches or trunk thicken. Indeed, in cool areas, it is most often present as a bush but in the south, you can come across specimens formed into trees.

'Rhapsody in Blue' is a compact variety, generally reaching 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in) in height. It has a very upright aspect, with fairly vertical branching. Its deciduous foliage, composed of medium-sized, slightly glossy ovate leaves typical of the genus, has a purple to burgundy red colour. Its flowering is remarkable, a superb dark pink, somewhat purple colour, covering the bush with a multitude of clusters. The very dense inflorescences are composed of fine pedicels each bearing a flower with five very undulate petals, the texture of which is reminiscent of a crepe, with a yellow heart forming a lovely contrast, but sometimes submerged by the mass of petals.

This Lagerstroemia grows in moist but well-drained soil and tolerates most types of soil, neutral to slightly acidic or calcareous. However, it absolutely needs a sunny exposure and must be pruned each year at the end of winter to flower well. It is indeed imperative to select the most vigorous shoots and prune them short (to 4 or 5 eyes) and to eliminate all the twigs and fine shoots that will not give any flowers. You can grow it in a pot on a terrace, or in very cold regions. You will then need to plan to water it regularly in summer because these living conditions are more rigorous than in the open ground, the roots cannot plunge into the soil to feed themselves.

Indian Lilacs are the glory of Southwestern gardens, some local nurseries have even specialised in them. Preferring the humid and hot southern Atlantic to the dry and windy Mediterranean, it nevertheless thrives well on the French Riviera provided it is watered in summer. This bush also deserves to be planted in the colder areas of our region, if necessary by installing it in a decorative pot so that it can be brought indoors during the coldest season. Its compact habit makes it well-suited to this use and the annual pruning necessary anyway allows it to be kept within a limited volume.

Its purple foliage encourages the creation of contrasts with shrubs with golden foliage. The Cotinus coggygria Golden Lady with its foliage in shades ranging from orange-yellow, to golden yellow in summer then turning orange in autumn will thus be a wonderful companion. The Physocarpus Dart's Gold will also be a very good choice, its white flowering in May-June preceding that of 'Rhapsody in Blue', and its golden yellow 3-lobed foliage creating a strong contrast. For a more subtle foliage contrast, the grey-green of the Caryopteris Grand Bleu will be ideal, while its dark blue flowering will accompany that of our Lagerstroemia.

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.