Lythraceae
Lagerstroemia indica
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Crepe Myrtle on:
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| Other Names for this Plant |
Giant Crape Myrtle, Crape Myrtle, Banaba (Philippines), Queen's Flower, Pride of India, Cuddle Tree, Sarusuberi (Japanese)
Photographed in Greenwood, Delaware
Range:Native to East Asia, India and Australia. Has become established in the warmest parts of the United States and other areas throughout the world
The common crapemyrtle is a deciduous, small to medium sized shrub or small tree with a variable, moderately dense habit, often multi-stemmed form. The showy flowers have wrinkled petals like crepe paper and vary in colors from white, pink, lavender, purple to red. The foliage is dark green changing in fall to yellows, oranges, and reds. The thin gray bark is exfoliating, exposing a smooth, vari-colored under bark ranging from brown to gray. It needs plenty of moisture when young. After it is established it will tolerate drought and grow well in limited soil spaces. During the growing season, new growth can be pinched to increase flower number and branchiness. The branches will droop as the tree grows. The lower branches are often thinned to show off the trunk form and color. |
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What's This?
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Order of Myrtles |
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Main, Real, Two First-Leaves (Dicots) |
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Real, Two First-Leaves (Dicots) |
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Half Capsule Seed Division |
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Magnolia Division |
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Seed Plants |
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Multiple Spore Sub-Kingdom |
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Multicellular Land Plants |
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Cells with a Nucleus |
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Banaba has been used in Filipino folkloric herbal medicine for the treatment of diabetes for centuries. It is now gaining popularity and getting recognition as a herbal medicine not only in the Philippines but worldwide.Other effects observed with the use of Banaba leaf included lowering of blood cholesterol levels and the moderation of liver lipid levels.
Banaba may reduce the appetite and craving for breads and sweets. Banaba contains high concentrations of dietary fiber and minerals such as zinc and magnesium. The leaves can be boiled and taken daily as tea.
The timber of some species has been used to manufacture bridges, furniture and railway sleepers.
Crepe Myrtle
Flowering branch
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Crepe Myrtle
New fruit forming
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Crepe Myrtle
Previous years seedpods
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Crepe Myrtle
Bush
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Crepe Myrtle, Lagerstroemia indica |
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