When Do Crepe Myrtles Bloom?
Enjoy their wonderous beauty after late May in warm climates and late July in colder ones
We have established the fact that crepe myrtles have beautiful blooms. Today we are going to find out when do crepe myrtles bloom. Though they beautify your lawns in mid-May if you live in a hotter zone, it is not the same for colder areas.
Let us get to know everything about these beautiful trees including their blooming season for different climates, budding time, zone-wise perfect location to make them thrive well, and tips on making them bloom twice a year.
What Time Do Crepe Myrtles Bloom?
The beautiful flowers of crepe myrtles come to life in hotter areas in late May. They thrive well in warm climates.
Crepe Myrtles in cooler zones bloom later after July. When their large cluster of flowers starts appearing on the tip of new branches, it gives a different aesthetic appeal to your garden.
With showy beautiful summer flowers, attractive bark, and colorful foliage, crepe myrtles are popular year-round garden performers. This beautiful tree native to Asia is available in a wide variety from dwarf to towering trees.
When Do Crepe Myrtles Start to Bud?
Forming of buds on crepe myrtle depends on the region and its climate. Usually, the buds of crepe myrtle start to form in spring. As soon as you notice new shoots on your plant, expect buds soon. These plants bloom in summer and their bloom lasts a while.
Those varieties that bloom before mid of July most likely will bloom again if you remove the old flowers after the first blooming cycle. Prune the flowers and you will see new growth with new buds.
What Month Do Crepe Myrtles Bloom from Different Varieties?
| Crepe Myrtle Variety | Bloom Time |
| When Do Black Diamond Crepe Myrtles Bloom | July to October |
| When Do Natchez Crepe Myrtles Bloom | June to September |
| When Do Tonto Crepe Myrtles Bloom | Midsummer to early fall |
| When Do Tuscarora Crepe Myrtles Bloom | Summer |
| When Do Pink Velour Crepe Myrtles Bloom | Midsummer to early fall |
| When Do White Crepe Myrtles Bloom | From June until fall |
| When Do Dynamite Crepe Myrtles Bloom | Summer to fall |
| When Do Red Rocket Crepe Myrtles Bloom | July to September |
| When Do Catawba Crepe Myrtles Bloom | Late spring to early fall |
Crepe myrtles start to leaf and bud in the spring, followed by Crepe myrtles going dormant in winters. The flowers then start blooming in summer. You can expect blooms in hotter areas in late May. In cooler zones blooming starts progressively later. Crepe myrtle does well in a warm climate and with lots of sunlight.
Hence, zones further north take longer to bloom. Expect leaves about a month after the last frost. Moreover, it takes two months after this for flowers to develop.
Crepe myrtle flowers come in a wide variety of colors, from white to pink to light and dark red and shades of lavender.
Where Do Crepe Myrtles Thrive?
Crepe myrtles grow exceptionally well in warm climates. Hence, they are mostly cultivated in tropical and sub-tropical climatic regions. If you are worried about when do crepe myrtles start blooming, you need to know that although crepe myrtles are the simplest and easiest plants to grow, the climatic conditions of your region can hamper your efforts.
However, if you plant the right kind of variety for your zone and maintain the right conditions then growing crepe myrtle is not a hassle. Hence, it is extremely important to identify your zone and learn when do crepe myrtle trees bloom in that specific zone.
Zone 2-5
In zones 2-5, try to plant crepe myrtles in a container so that you can move them indoors in winter. When there is extreme cold, the trees will die and can only bloom in summer.
Zone 5
Crepe myrtles do not love extreme cold climates. However, several newly developed varieties can survive low temperatures. Cultivars such as Natchez, Tuscarora, Tonto, Arapaho, and Hopi are some of the most cold-hardy crepe myrtles. Caddo, Tonto, Early bird, Kiowa, Pocomoke, and Acoma weeping can also survive chilly conditions. However, they need mulching and winter protection.
Zone 6
If you are someone living in zone 6, only a few varieties of hardy crepe myrtles will do well in such a cold climate and lack of sunlight. Acoma, Pocomoke, Tonto, and Caddo are some of them. Most of the crepe myrtles will not be able to survive in this climate. If you plant them outside, they will probably fall off to the ground in winter and resprout in spring.
Alternatively, you can try to plant them in a warm and protected spot in your garden or move them indoors.
Zone 7
Crepe myrtles thrive well in USDA hardiness zone 7 or above. In zone 7, these plants may sometime suffer cold damage. Cultivators like Dynamite Sioux, Delta, and Enduring Summer thrive in hardiness zones 7-10.
Zone 8
Zone 8 is one of the warmest zones. It has hot summers followed by mild winters. This zone is ideal for crepe myrtles and when the crepe myrtle bushes bloom, they fill the area with vibrancy. Cultivars such as Delta eclipse, Red rocket, Miss Frances, and Enduring Summer thrive in this zone.
Zone 9-10
Zone 9 has hot summers and warm winters. Crepe myrtles do well throughout the year in this zone. You just need to ensure that the crepe myrtle you plant in this zone must be heat tolerant.
Crepe Myrtle varieties such as Dynamite, Sioux, Muskogee, and Pink thrive in this region. Here, the leaves of crepe myrtle sprout in spring season and the flowers can be seen in summer. Cultivars that thrive well in these areas are Catawba, Enduring Summer, Early Bird, Ebony Glow etc.
If you know your variety and what month do crepe myrtles bloom, it is very important to protect these plants before their bloom time arrives especially in winter. For this regular fertilizing and mulching before winter is needed.
Also, watering them regularly at fall encourages extensive root development. A stable root system is vital during the winter. Another way to prepare the plant for winter is by pruning them during the summer.
Do Crepe Myrtles Bloom the First Year?
Many people ask when will my crepe myrtle bloom. Let us tell you that crepe myrtles take 5 to 10 years to become mature trees and start blooming. They have to become established enough to begin flowering.
When Do Crepe Myrtles Stop Blooming?
Crepe myrtles are well-known for their colorful and long-lasting fabulous flowers. Few plants can match their combination of stunning summer flowers, colorful autumn foliage, and attractive trunk.
Wonder when do crepe myrtles bloom and how long they continue? To put it simply, depending on the variety, crepe myrtles bloom for three to four months, starting from May or June. After that, they stop blooming.
How to Get Your Crepe Myrtles to Bloom Twice?
Do you wish your beautiful crepe myrtles to bloom twice a year and add color to your garden?
Here’s how to do it:
- Start by cutting off the old bloom heads once they have finished blooming. But make sure you do this before they begin to seed.
- Within a few days, you will notice that at every cut, two or more new bloom heads filled with buds for clusters of tiny flowers will emerge. These buds will be large and full as the ones produced by the first bloom cycle.
- Keep in mind that when you are cutting off the bloom heads, you are pruning the tree causing the limbs to branch out.
Why Are My Myrtles Not Blooming?
You know when do crepe myrtles flower, but if you notice that there are no signs of blooming, look into some common problems that your plant might be facing. Resolving these issues can help you get a plentiful bloom.
- Lack of sunlight
- Pruning too late
- Poor drainage
- Cool climatic condition
- Too much nitrogen in your fertilizer
- Not enough new growth
- Plant variety
- Diseases or pests
- Planted too deep
- Overgrown roots
- Damage to shoots during spring
Related: Crepe Myrtle Growth Rate | Crepe Myrtle Lifespan | Crepe Myrtle Care
FAQs
Q. When do crepe myrtles flower in zone 7?
Ans. In Zone 7, frost comes in April. Crepe myrtles start leafing, in early May. In addition, blooming can occur by early July.
Q. When do crepe myrtles bloom in zone 6?
Ans. In Zone 6, you may not have flowers until early August. It is the coldest zone where crepe myrtle can usually survive. Your tree may not bloom until late July or early August.
