Lagerstroemia indica Pink Grand Sud - Crape Myrtle

The Lagerstroemia indica 'Pink Grand Sud', resulting from Minier's research (French horticulturist and breeder), is a recent variety of Indian Lilac, with a very beautiful pale pink flowering. This large deciduous bush seduces with its spectacular and abundant summer flowering, consisting of beautiful clusters where the soft pink of the flowers and the purple colour of the pedicels that carry them mix. Its foliage takes on beautiful orange hues in autumn before dropping. Indian Lilacs are also appreciated for their smooth, richly coloured bark, which is ornamental all year round. These bushes love the heat but appreciate a little coolness in summer to support their flowering. This one will make a sensation as a standalone plant in a small garden or in a nice pot on the terrace.

Introduced to the market in 2015, the Lagerstroemia indica 'Pink Grand Sud', remains little known commercially. It belongs to the Lythraceae family, just like the Lagerstroemia indica from which it originates. The latter is native to China. This bush has a bushy and ramified habit from the base, with a rounded, slightly spreading crown. It reaches an average height of 3.20 m (10 ft 6 in) at maturity, with a diameter of 2.20 m (7 ft 2 in). Its growth is quite fast. It chooses the month of July to start its flowering, which will continue until September. The large inflorescences are composed of thin pedicels, each carrying five petals with very wavy edges, and a crepe-like texture. They gather in large, dense panicles at the end of the branches of the same year.

In 'Pink Grand Sud', the buds are wine-coloured, then they open widely in a light pink. The foliage, leathery and deciduous, emerges as bronze-red, then becomes dark green and shiny. It is made of small oval leaves which often take on pretty orange or coppery hues in autumn, depending on the climate. Lastly, its truly beautiful bark is smooth, beige striped with grey, reddish-brown, peeling off in coloured patches (cinnamon, faded red, old rose, cream).

Indian Lilacs are hardy, vigorous, and the glory of many gardens. They will look good as a standalone plant near the house, in a shrub border, or emerging from a mound of perennials. Create a mixed showpiece, with Nepeta, Salvia sclarea or jamensis, Aster laevis. In autumn, it is accompanied by smoke bushes and deciduous spindle trees as colourful as itself. In a large pot on the terrace, it puts on a show while summer flowering fades. We have very simply imagined a three-colour plant tapestry as ground cover to highlight the Pink Grand Sud Indian Lilac. A weaving of thymes, oreganos, and silver baskets will dress the base of its trunk, underline the beauty of its bark, and reflect its striking flowering.

NB: Karl Von Linné named this tree to pay tribute to 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.