Question
Backyard Shot
I would like some advice on zone 9 (Stockton, Ca) backyard tree selection. My three candidates are Japanese maple, ornamental pear and crape myrtle. Im looking for one that has the lowest maintenance, and the least disease susceptibility. Any general advice would be very helpful. The tree will go into the 6ft W x 13ft L raised bed shown. Sun is hot in summer (90 plus) and the area would get about 10 hrs of sun.
Thank you.
AnswerThe Crepe (or Crape) Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) is one of the most planted decorative trees in the United States. It originated in China but is now cultivated widely throughout the world. There are many variations in size, from small shrubs to tall trees. Flowers can range from white to pink, magenta and purple.Most Crepe Myrtles are shrubs by habit and beautiful in that form. Still, many Crepe Myrtles are pruned to grow as small trees. In this form, they decorate parking strips and parking lot planters everywhere. Their long bloom season is one reason for their attraction. In some climates they will bloom for almost six months. They also have interesting bark that tends to peel off in small sections. Once the flowers die back, the seed will grow readily the next year. About the only real enemies they have are aphids and humidity. Crepe Myrtles make a beautiful, low maintenance addition for any garden.
I would check with your local nursery for a dwarf variety that way the tree will not out grow the site.
