Lagerstroemia indica Red imperator - Crape Myrtle

The Lagerstroemia indica 'Red Imperator' is a small Indian summer flowering Lilac with very dynamic red blooms, which bursts through the intense light of summer. This adorable deciduous bush seduces with its compact habit, making it easy to adopt in a large pot on the terrace. It also charms with its highly glossy purple foliage that colours in the autumn, and its decorative bark. Eager for sun and warmth, resistant and endowed with multiple advantages, Indian Lilacs are among the most beautiful summer-flowering bushes. They deserve a prominent place in the garden or on the terrace.

The Lagerstroemia indica 'Red Imperator' belongs to the Lythraceae family. The Lagerstroemia indica, from which it originates, is native to China. This bush has a bushy and ramified habit, with a rounded crown. It will reach an average height of 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in) at maturity, with a diameter of 1 m (3 ft 4 in). Its growth is quite fast. It chooses the end of July to start its flowering, which will continue until October. The flowers are characterised by thin pedicels, each carrying five undulating-edged petals that make up this flower. The flowers, with a crepe texture, are gathered in large, dense panicles at the ends of the branches of the year. In 'Red Imperator', the buds are crimson, then they open up into a fiery red. The leathery and deciduous foliage emerges red and then becomes dark green-purple and glossy. It comprises small ovate leaves, which sometimes take on pretty yellow or red hues in the autumn, depending on the climate. Lastly, its truly beautiful bark is smooth, beige streaked with brown-red, peeling off in coloured patches (cinnamon, faded red, old rose, cream).

This Indian Lilac is hardy and vigorous. It is when isolated, near the house, that you can fully enjoy its abundance. It will make a good impression in a shrub border, a flowering hedge, or emerging from a mound of perennials. Create a mixed border, with Campanula pyramidalis, Salvia sclarea, Aster laevis. In autumn, it is accompanied by asters as colorful as itself. In a large pot on the terrace, it puts on a show while the summer blooms fade. We have imagined a tricolour vegetal tapestry as a ground cover to showcase the Summer Lilac Red Imperator. A weaving of thyme, oregano, and candytuft will come to dress the base of its trunk, underline its bark, and reflect its sparkling flowering.

NB: Karl Von Linne 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 that have a narcotic effect if ingested.