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cindylou111

National Arborteum's recommened Crape Mrtyles

cindylou111
17 years ago

I am looking for Apalachee because of its resistance to powdery mildew and it has good fall color and also great bark and the bonus is, it has a scent.

If I can't find that variety then I would like either Catawba, Cherokee, or Yuma. These are also recommended by the National Arborteum.

Does anyone know of someone that sells any of these varieties in North Alabama. I live near Fort Payne.

Thanks,

Nomad

Comments (10)

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    17 years ago

    There are quite a few retail garden centers and nurseries in the Huntsville area, if you want to make a few calls. That should not be a too terribly difficult hybrid to find in a good privately owned nursery. Some of them are excellent!

    What size are you looking for? We can narrow it down a bit if I knew that you were looking for small containers, or good sized B & B.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Nursery listings

  • cindylou111
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    I went to Huntsville on Tuesday and called Bennett Nursery which they bought the business from Byers Nursery. Byers did a lot of research on these crape mrytles so I thought they would have them but they did not.
    I also tried calling The Greenery but couldn't get anyone to answer the phone and the mail box was full. I will try again though.
    I have called every nursery in this area and only one in Guntersville will see if he can get them for me.
    Thanks for the link I have to go back to Huntsville next week and maybe I can find them.
    I would like a 4 to 5 foot and I am looking for 7 but will take 5 if the cost of them is too prohibitive. I would also take a 2 to 3 foot if I could just find them.
    Thanks,
    Nomad

  • browneyedsusan_gw
    17 years ago

    You can get them from Forest Farm by mail and save a lot of money. I bought three tube size "Dynamites" from them and within 6 months they grew to over 3'tall. Susan.

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    17 years ago

    That's a possibility, Nomad! Those crapemyrtles grow like crazy, especially when very small. Susan, did you pot yours up for a season to let it get some size before planting out, or stick them right in the ground?

    Nomad, in particular, did you try: Huntsville Nursery and Garden Center, Strains and Sons (Athens...not sure if they sell retail), Bochancee Nursery, and the GREAT Don Shadow has a retail operation in Middle Tennessee. Shadow Nursery. All of those are on that list. Call.

  • browneyedsusan_gw
    17 years ago

    I stuck them in the ground in a flower bed (with rich soil) in spring. I moved them to their final locations that fall.

    Susan.

  • cindylou111
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thanks Susan and Rhizo. I have found a website that produces only crape mrtyles and now I am having a time trying to decide which ones I want to get. They grow types for hanging baskets and ground cover as well.
    Nomad

  • johninbelmont
    17 years ago

    There's a small nursery in the Toney area that my parents showed me during a visit last year. They specialized in Crepe Myrtles with many different varieties. Sadly, I can not recall the name of the nursery or the street. I have an email into to my folks and will post the info. a.s.a.p. BTW: Happy Belated Birthday!

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    17 years ago

    Nomad, just be sure that you always purchase one that has been bred to be resistant to powdery mildew. Many are cited as aphid resistant, as well! If the plant description does not list resistance, then it probably isn't. That's why those National Arboretum hybrids are so great.

  • cindylou111
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thanks for the belated birthday wishes. It was a beautiful weekend, the weather, and did any of you see that harvest moon come up on Friday and Sat. Awesome!!! My husband even made me a birthday cake his first and it was pretty good. You can't do much better than that after 33 years of marriage.
    Well now that I have the found the place I want to buy the crapes from, my new problems is what size to buy. My house is facing the south side. It is a busy street and has two small trees planted out front almost to the road and they do nothing to give privacy or shade. I decided instead of planting Acomas which only get approx 5 to 10 feet tall that I would go bigger and get the Natchez that eventually get 35 feet tall well probably not in my life time. My house has a side walk up to the front door and I had considered planting the Acoma on the street side along the walk but since I have nothing to give my house some shelter from that sun I decided to go with Natchez. My house is red brick with white trim and I thought the white would look the best. Anyway the side walk is 65 feet long and I am afraid to plant these huge trees to close to the house and sidewalk. I also worry about the mowing aspect and if I make a hedge out of them then I will have to put mulch down. I could also use those new mulch mats that go around trees but they are dear. Also my house is 3 feet off the ground so I need taller trees to compensate for the height. I am just worried that if I plant say 5 of these trees out front that it is going to look odd. I think I could stagger them. Any suggestions on how this would look.
    I am only going to buy the National Arborteums recommended trees so don't worry there Rhizo. I could send a picture of my house if someone would tell me how to go about this.
    Thanks, Nomad

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    17 years ago

    Don't forget that it will take a while for those trees to grow above your head. Plant them plenty away from the walkway so that they will never, ever be a pain in the neck, so to speak. You don't want to resort to ruining the natural form of these beautiful trees because of poor planning!

    No matter how many trees you plant, you should give them a decent sized mulch bed. It's imperative that you do so, just to avoid mower/weedeater damage let alone for all the root/soil benefits mulch offers!

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