Northwest Palms

Crepe blooming

Well, I didn't think it would happen, but finally the buds of my crepe myrtle started opening. Better late than never. Anyone else getting blooms now?

The following thread was started by Brian, Maple Valley, WA on August 26, 2008 at 8:55 pm PST

For how this year has been, with such a slow spring, it looks like you're doing really well. One doesn't usually expect blooms on Crape Myrtle until September in the Seattle area.

The above followup was added by Ian on August 26, 2008 at 10:02 pm PST.

I could get my Crape Myrtle to bloom before September only once in about 23 years. Except for some microclimates here and there Saltspring is generally cooler in the summer and these plants don't bloom here until the latter of September (if they bloom at all). Regardless of that, I bought another one and will find it a spot where it will be backed up by rock or concrete wall. Brian, is that Feijoia sellowiana to the right of the Crape Myrtle?

The above followup was added by Vlad Pomajzl, Saltspring on August 27, 2008 at 8:31 pm PST.

Yes, Vlad. You do see a Feijoia and it actually bloomed well this year. I'll send you some jelly if I ever get the fruit to ripen ;). Interesting on your experience with the crepes. I have had blooms each of the last three years. Our area tends get higher summer temps and I think this makes the difference. I also fertiize fairly heavily which could also push it along. I have read that crepes only bloom after a certain number of hours above 85 F. Whether true or not, I am not sure. Everything in my yard grew more than any other summer I can recall.

The above followup was added by Brian, Maple Valley, WA on August 27, 2008 at 11:14 pm PST.

Thats what i was thinking to push for more and earlier bloom. The trees can take cold,and it doesn't seem like they have bud death from winter cold in the PNW. If there was ever a plant for you to place in front of a black wall....
hmm.Maybe an espaliared Crepe?

The above followup was added by Stan on August 28, 2008 at 10:15 am PST.

to bloom here in Berkeley, but they certainly wouldn't object to them either. They bloom about now here in Berkeley, Calif as well, and our average day time temps in summer are more like high 60's to mid 70'sF. They bloom a lot more heavily and earlier, further inland where summers are in the 80's, sometimes starting in late May/early June.

I remember this tree being nearly evergreen when grown in subtropical desert climates such as Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and would start blooming as early as March over there. By August, temps over there could be as high as 120F, with 110F being the norm.

I have several in my garden here in Berkeley, but with the cool bay breezes and lack of heat, they seldom bloom before September in my garden, and only bloom well when we have a hotter summer. Good thing they are attractive due to smooth, flaking trunks, otherwise they would have been yanked out years ago.

The above followup was added by bahia on August 28, 2008 at 4:50 pm PST.

I am not up-to-speed on the precise form and calculation of these units but believe they are related to the number of hours or days with temps over a certain threshold level. That threshold level perhaps varies for different plants. Anyway, you are right. You don't necessarily need 85F to get them blooming in mid summer provided that they have the benefit of a longer growing season (at lower temps) and about the same amount of accumulated heat units. There is no doubt that, where you are, your starting point is way ahead of most of us in PNW. I think the last time and the only time my Crape Myrtle bloomed in August (may be even in July) was in 1989. We had a nasty February and March with record lows but April, May and June had unusually long stretches of warm weather that got the Myrtle going early. This year nothing much was happening with heat lovers until June and last year the summer was not particularly warm.

The above followup was added by Vlad Pomajzl, Saltspring on August 28, 2008 at 8:39 pm PST.

Today I saw the unmistakeable salmon tufts of crape myrtle flowers while riding on the bus. There's also one at First Christian Church that's only beginning to bloom. I imagine the best climate north of California for getting mid-summer flowers would probably be the Columbia Basin from the Tri-Cities down toward The Dalles. Maybe the Medford area would also get rapid heat accumulation though they tend to hold onto chilly nights well into the spring.

The above followup was added by Eric Eug. on August 29, 2008 at 10:41 pm PST.