Lagerstroemia indica Jacqueline Desmartis - Crape Myrtle

The Lagerstroemia indica 'Jacqueline Demartis' is a Indian Lilac with enduring summer flowering in the form of large, dense clusters of beautiful bright pink that bloom from late July to September. Its deciduous shiny green foliage takes on warm shades from September. This vigorous bush has a well-branched bushy habit. Eager for sun and heat, this variety will thrive better in Southern regions. With multiple advantages, Indian Lilacs are among the most beautiful summer flowering shrubs. As such, they deserve a prominent place in the garden or on the terrace.

The Lagerstroemia indica 'Jacqueline Demartis' belongs to the Lythraceae family. Lagerstroemia indica, from which it originates, is native to China. The cultivar 'Jacqueline Demartis' was selected in 1973 at the Demartis nursery in Dordogne. This very vigorous and well-branched bush will reach a height of 3 to 5 m (9 ft 10 in to 16 ft 5 in) at maturity, with a diameter of about 3 m (9 ft 10 in). Its growth is quite fast. Its flowering generally starts in July and lasts until the end of September. The flowers are characterised by thin pedicels, each bearing five undulating-edged petals that make up this flower. The flowers, whose texture resembles that of crepe, are gathered in large, dense panicles at the end of the branches of the same year. The 'Jacqueline Demartis' produces bright camellia pink blooms. The leathery and deciduous foliage is born red and becomes shiny dark green. It is comprises small ovate leaves which take on pretty yellow or red hues from the beginning of autumn, depending on the climate. Lastly, its bark of great beauty is smooth, beige striated with brown-red, which peels off in coloured patches (cinnamon, muted red, old rose, cream).

Indian Lilacs are the pride of Southwestern gardens. Preferring humid and warm Atlantic to dry and windy Mediterranean, it is a small tree that deserves to be acclimated to colder areas of our country, by carefully choosing its location. Its hardiness and vigour allow it. It is when isolated, near the house, that you can fully enjoy its abundance. It will make a good impression in a shrub bed, a flowering hedge, or emerging from a mound of perennials. Create a bunched display, with Campanula pyramidalis, Salvia sclarea, Aster laevis. In autumn, it combines with Asters that are as colourful as it is. In a large pot on the terrace, it puts on a show as summer flowering slows down.

NB: Karl Von Linne named this tree in honour of his friend Magnus Von Lagestroem (1696-1759), who had sent it to him from India for identification. Originally, this tree was used to decorate Chinese temples. We would like to point out that this tree produces fruits with a narcotic effect if ingested.