Lagerstroemia indica Gourmet Violetta - Crape myrtle

Lagerstroemia indica Gourmet Violetta 'Lagvav' is a crape myrtle with a compact habit, covered in panicles of mauve-purple flowers throughout the whole summer. Its foliage emerges reddish, turns deep green in summer, and then takes on beautiful orange hues in autumn. Its moderate growth makes it suitable for small gardens as well as large containers. Give it plenty of sun, a rich, well-drained soil, and a sheltered position.

The botanical species Lagerstroemia indica, belonging to the Lythraceae family, is commonly called summer lilac and crape myrtle. This small tree or large deciduous shrub is native to East and Southeast Asia: it is found from the foothills of the Himalayas to eastern China, and into the warmer regions of Japan and parts of Indochina. It grows at the edge of open woods, in scrub vegetation and warm, sunny areas.
Gourmet® Violetta 'Lagvav' is a horticultural creation obtained in France by Valérie Pouillart and launched in 2024. Distributed notably by Globe Planter and Plantipp, it belongs to the GOURMET series, which groups compact Lagerstroemia with colourful foliage and early and prolonged flowering, with low susceptibility to disease. At maturity, this Lagerstroemia forms a shrub approximately 2.50 m in height and 1.50 m to 1.60 m in width. Its habit is bushy, dense, with several trunks or main branches that branch finely. It takes a few years for a plant to build its structure, but it flowers young if it gets enough sunlight. The foliage is deciduous: the shrub loses its leaves in winter. The young shoots are coloured red or chocolate brown, and then the leaves turn dark green with purplish highlights. They are quite thick and glossy. At the end of the season, the foliage turns orange or reddish-orange. As with the type species, the beige to grey-brown bark becomes decorative with age: it exfoliates in patches, revealing lighter shades on the trunks and main branches. It flowers on the current year's growth. Gourmet® Violetta 'Lagvav' produces terminal inflorescences in dense panicles, about ten centimetres long. The numerous small flowers, with crumpled petals reminiscent of crepe fabric, are mauve to dark violet. They open abundantly from July to August-September, or even from late June in very hot and sunny situations.
Like all crape myrtles, this variety appreciates heat and sun. It is hardy down to –12 to –15 °C in well-drained soil.

In the garden, in a not-too-cold climate, Lagerstroemia Gourmet® Violetta is superb in a shrub border. It can be planted as a specimen near a terrace to enjoy its generous flowering, or integrated into a small informal hedge along a path. In a large container, it will decorate a dining area or patio. You can pair it with Lavandula angustifolia Bleu de Gien, Veronica spicata Glory ROYAL CANDLES, Lagerstroemia Gourmet® Choco Pink and Escallonia Pink Elle.