Lagerstroemia indica Monsoon - Crape Myrtle

The Lagerstroemia indica 'Monsoon’ is an Indian Lilac offering an exceptionally abundant, early and perpetual flowering in bright pink thyrsus, well distributed over the plant. Its flowering usually starts around the beginning of July, and resumes at the end of September. This adorable deciduous bush also charms with its glossy green foliage, which changes colour in the autumn, and its decorative bark. Craving for sun and heat, resistant and with many assets, Indian lilacs are among the most beautiful flowering bushes in summer. This vigorous cultivar, which can be grown in many regions, deserves a prime spot in the garden or on the terrace.

The Lagerstroemia indica 'Monsoon' belongs to the Lythraceae family. The Lagerstroemia indica, from which it originates, is native to China. This bush has a bushy and spreading out habit. It will reach between 3 and 5 m (9 ft 10 in and 16 ft 5 in) in height at ripeness, with a diameter of about 3 m (9 ft 10 in). Its growth is quite fast. Its remarkably early flowering usually starts at the beginning of July and resumes at the end of September. The flowers are characterised by thin pedicels each bearing five petals with an undulate edge. The flowers, whose texture is reminiscent of crepe, are gathered in large dense panicles, at the end of the year's branches. The reddish-green buds of 'Monsoon' bloom into bright and luminous Persian pink flowers, punctuated with golden yellow stamens. The foliage, leathery and deciduous, is dark green and shiny. It is made up of small ovate leaves, which sometimes take on pretty yellow or red hues in the autumn, depending on the climate. Finally, and its beautiful bark is smooth, beige striate with brown-red, peeling off in coloured plates (cinnamon, faded red, old pink, cream).

Indian Lilacs are the glory of gardens in the South West. This small tree prefers humid and warm climates, but also deserves to be acclimatised in colder areas, providing careful consideration is given to choosing its location. Its hardiness and vigour allow it. It is in isolation, near the house, that you can fully enjoy this plant's generosity. It will look good in a bush bed, a flowering hedge, or emerging from a mound of perennials. Compose a bed like a bouquet, with Campanula pyramidalis, Salvia sclarea, Aster laevis. In the autumn, this plant accompanies the equally as colourful Aster. In a large pot on the terrace, it puts on a show when the summer flowerings are fading. We have simply imagined a tricolour plant tapestry as a ground cover to highlight the Summer Lilac ‘Monsoon’. A weave of thyme, oregano and silver baskets will dress the base of its trunk, underline its bark and reflect its sparkling flowering.

NB: Karl Von Linnaeus 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 that have a narcotic action if ingested.