Where Do Crepe Myrtles Come From

Graves: Crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia) are from eastern Asia: China and Korea. There are no species of plants in the crape myrtle genus native to North America, but introduced Lagerstroemia have been planted in incredibly large numbers in the southeastern United States.

Where do crepe myrtles originate from?

The Crepe Myrtle’s roots actually begin in China, where it was named “Pai Jih Hung,” meaning hundred days red for its beautiful color and long bloom season. The Chinese also called it the “monkey tree” because monkeys could not climb the smooth, slippery trunks.

Are Crape Myrtles invasive?

Crepe myrtle trees are lovely, delicate trees offering bright, spectacular flowers in the summer and beautiful fall color when the weather begins to chill. … You don’t have to worry about this issue because crepe myrtle tree roots are not invasive.