Crape Myrtle 'Catawba' (Lagerstroemia indica 'Catawba'): Purple Blooms

Crape myrtle 'Catawba' is a cultivar with rich purple flowers, a rounded habit, and good mildew resistance, providing summer color in warm climates.

Botanical Profile

Description and Features

This deciduous shrub or small tree grows 10–15 feet tall with a rounded, dense habit. Bark exfoliates to reveal smooth, gray-brown trunks. Large panicles of deep purple flowers bloom from mid-summer to fall. Leaves turn orange-red in autumn.

Cultivation and Uses

'Catawba' prefers full sun and well-drained soil. It has good resistance to powdery mildew. Use as a specimen, in groups, or as a flowering hedge. Prune in late winter.