Question
I live in the Atlanta area and going to plant natchez crape myrtles along my asphalt driveway. How far should I plant them from the driveway so they don't push up the asphalt?

Answer
Hello, Doug -

A fast-growing tree.  20 feet wide by 30 feet tall at full maturity, under the best of conditions.  Probably closer to 15 feet wide by 20 feet tall, in an urban/suburban setting.   It is considered a medium to large cultivar of Crape Myrtle, so it needs some room.  Lots of blooming power. The Natchez variety has white blooms, as you probably already know.  Surface roots for the Lagerstroemia (Crape Myrtles) species are not a problem.  Lifting asphalt or hampering water lines is not a critical issue with this tree.  

I抎 keep it back from the edge of the driveway, not so much because of the roots, but because you抣l start to hit its branches with the car in a few short years, diminishing its potential for a full, glorious canopy, or creating lopsided tree.  It has a habit of multi-trunk, so it will be wider than a 搇olly pop?kind of tree - another reason to keep it back from the edge of the driveway.  Plus, as it blooms, it will be dropping lots of litter onto the driveway, which may be unsightly to you.

No closer than 5-6 feet, and better to be 8+ feet away.  If you want a 搘all of blooms?in a few years, I抎 space them about 15 feet apart, and let the canopies grow together.

Hope it helps ~Marc