Purple Cow® Crepe Myrtle

Let's Grow

About Purple Cow™ Crepemyrtle (Crape myrtle)

Purple Cow™ is a new variety of medium-sized crepe myrtle that has a delightful, upright growth habit which makes it a perfect standalone plant.  But Purple Cow™ also works wonderfully when planted in a large group where it will create an impressive and colorful impact.  Blooming from mid-summer to fall, Purple Cow™ produces an abundance of deep purple flowers that complement the plant’s dark green foliage beautifully.  Even better, this plant’s highly fragrant flowers are a perfect addition to scent gardens and they are irresistible to pollinators too!

Drought hardy and resilient, Purple Cow™ is resistant to most pests, including deer and rabbits.  It also thrives in acidic soils and it can handle drought as well!

Purple Cow® Crepemyrtle
Botanical Name	Lagerstroemia x 'GAMAD-IX'
Plant Hardiness	Zone 5-9
Mature Height	6 to 10'
Mature Width	4 to 5'
Sun Needs	Full Sun
Does Not Ship To	AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA, PR

Special features:

• Colorful and fragrant blooms from summer through fall
• Flowers are magnets for bees, butterflies and other pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Adapts to most soils, including acidic gardens
• Naturally resistant to deer and rabbits

How to grow crepe myrtle

Just right for mass planting or as a standalone specimen, there are so many reasons to keep crapemyrtles. Not only will they enliven your garden with bold blooms and a strong, floral fragrance, but they also provide interest in autumn beds thanks to their color changing leaves. You can boost crape myrtle growth by watering your plants regularly and applying a balanced fertilizer every 2 weeks in spring and summer.

Best time to plant crape myrtle

The best time to plant crepe myrtle trees is in spring, after all danger of frost has passed. Planting at this time of the year will ensure your new Purple Cow™ trees have plenty of time to settle into your garden before winter arrives.

Where to plant crepe myrtle

Crapemyrtles are adaptable plants that can grow in a range of soil conditions, including acidic gardens. When they’re established, these plants are quite drought tolerant, but they will grow best when provided with rich, moist and well-draining soil.

Purple Cow™ crape myrtles do need a lot of sun to support flower development, so they should be planted in a location that receives at least 6 hours of bright light daily.  While these plants are often grown in gardens, they are also compact enough for container planting!

How to plant crape myrtle

When you’re ready to plant your Purple Cow™ Crapemyrtle , dig a hole that is as deep as your plant’s nursery pot and 2 to 3 times as wide.  You can add a bit of compost to the soil if you want to, then place your plant in the hole and backfill it with soil.  After planting, water your crapemyrtle tree well to help it adapt to your garden quicker. During the first growing season, water your plants deeply and regularly to support root growth.

Growing crepe myrtle in containers

Purple Cow™ Crapemyrtle s are small enough that they can be kept in containers on sunny front porches, patios or balconies too!  To start, choose a pot that is well-draining and at least 3 gallons in size.  Fill your planter with a rich potting mix and then sow your plant to the same depth that it was planted in its nursery pot.

Container grown crapemyrtles will need to be watered more often, but otherwise they have the same growing needs as plants kept in inground beds.

How tall do crepe myrtles get?

When full grown, Purple Cow™ crapemyrtles are about 6 to 10’ tall and 4 to 5’ wide.  If you need to prune your tree, make all your pruning cuts in February, before new growth emerges.

History of Purple Cow™ Crapemyrtle

There are about 50 different species of crapemyrtle trees, including deciduous and evergreen varieties. These plants naturally grow throughout Oceania, Australia and Asia, but they were brought to the United in the 1700s. Ever since, they have been a staple in warm climates and botanists and plant enthusiasts have developed many wonderful cultivars with different flower colors and other key features.

Purple Cow™ crape myrtle belongs to the Lagerstroemia indica species. ‘Indica’ refers to the fact that this variety of crape myrtle originally came from India. Purple Cow™ was specially developed for its vibrant bloom color and compact growth habit.

Buying Purple Cow™ Crapemyrtle at Cold Creek Nurseries

Each of our plants is shipped in a sturdy nursery pot and they can be planted right away in your garden. Our plants are also grown by the original breeder and cultivated from stem cuttings to preserve the unique features of each plant variety. When you order Purple Cow™ Crapemyrtle from us, you’ll receive a healthy and beautiful specimen plant that will add color and vibrancy to any garden design.