The Growing Edge – February 2016

This Month's Featured Trees

Today we are focusing on two types of Crepe Myrtle. These are both well known Aussie favorites, great as specimens, features, shade and paddock trees that have a wide range of tolerances and brilliant complimentary autumn colour.

Lagerstroemia indica
Indian Summer 'Tuscarora'
This Hot Pink crepe myrtle is possibly the best of the red-flowering cultivars in this species. The flowers on the Tuscarora and highly ornamental bark make this tough small tree a useful specimen or screening tree.
It will reach a mature height of 4 metres with a width of 5 metres.

This is a broad spreading form with naturally multi-stemmed branching. The Tuscarora foliage is a lustrous dark green with young leaves tinged red. In autumn, the leaves turn a reddish-orange.
Flowers appear on the ends of branches from late summer through to early autumn

Crepe Myrtles are adaptable to a range of conditions, heat and some dryness but requires adequate moisture during establishment. This variety is bred for resistance to powdery mildew.

Lagerstroemia indica
Indian Summer 'Natchez'
This is a very popular cultivar with excellent white flowers and highly attractive exfoliating bark. The extremities of the branches become pendulous giving a slightly weeping effect which is made more dramatic with the production of large white flowers. It reaches a mature height of 8 metres with a width of 6 metres.
The Natchez has a vase to rounded shape, tending to be multi-stemmed with a flattish canopy. Can eventually become a large shapely tree. The foliage has glossy mid-green leaves and in the autumn changes to a reddish-bronze. Flowers appear in large panicles from mid-summer through to early autumn.
The Natchez Crepe Myrtle Tree is adaptable to a range of conditions, heat and some dryness but requires adequate moisture during establishment. This tree is even bred for resistance to powdery mildew. In the landscape, they can be used in gardens, parks, driveways and avenues.

Watering – how much and when

– Keep evenly moist

Most plants prefer evenly distributed moisture in order to promote strong root growth. 

– Water less often but more thoroughly
in your garden beds, one to two watering sessions per week are usually sufficient. Deep watering is more efficient.

– Water late in the evening or early in the morning
When cool soil is watered in the evening or night then less evaporation occurs than during the day. This allows plants to draw up as much water as possible before the next day.

– Keep leaves dry. Wet leaves are more susceptible to becoming moldy and diseased. Leaves that are wet in the sun are more likely to develop slight burn marks.

– Give the right amount of water. Know your plants and water for each plant, not the garden as a whole. Dry loving succulents will rot with too much water and fruit will drop and not ripen without enough water.

IN STOCK NOW – Be quick, supplies are limited

What's looking great

Olives are currently in stock standing a a nice bushy 2.0 metres and covered in young fruit shown pictured here. Varieties in stock are Manzanillo and Paragon. If there is another variety you are interested, please contact our office to determine availability.

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