Kiowa Crepe Myrtle

Kiowa Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia fauriei 'Kiowa') is grown as much for its trunk as its flowers. It reaches about 7m tall and 4m wide, with bark that sheds each summer to a polished cinnamon and mahogany, white panicles through the hottest weeks, and orange tones before the leaves fall.

Why you'll love it

• Bark that carries the winter. Once the canopy is bare, the cinnamon to mahogany trunk becomes the feature.
• White flowers through summer. Long crepe textured panicles open over the hot months, when little else is flowering.
• Strong mildew resistance. Powdery mildew is the usual complaint with crepe myrtles, and this species is bred well clear of it.
• Roots that stay out of trouble. The root system is non-invasive, so it can sit near a driveway, path or courtyard paving.

Where it works best

Feature planting. Put it where the trunk can be seen from the house, because that bark is the reason to choose this variety over a common crepe myrtle.

Driveways and avenues. Space trees 4m to 5m apart. At that distance the canopies just touch at maturity and each trunk stays visible.

Small gardens. Seven metres is a modest final height, and the open canopy throws dappled shade, so planting can continue underneath it.

Growing Kiowa Crepe Myrtle in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, always: shade costs you flowers and dulls the bark. It suits warm temperate, subtropical, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens, and it is frost hardy, so cold southern districts are well within range. Subtropical gardens get heavier growth and a softer autumn display.

Soil. Free draining soil of almost any type. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound and work compost through the backfill. Keep 75mm of mulch clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first two summers, then taper off, because it is genuinely drought and heat tolerant once established. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is all it asks.

Pruning. Prune in late winter while it is bare. Remove crossing wood and lift the lower limbs to expose the trunk. Never cut the main stems back to stubs, which ruins the shape and the bark for years.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is grown in a single size, an advanced 45L tree, so you are buying real height on day one. Because it is deciduous, a plant sent between late autumn and early spring may arrive bare stemmed. That is normal, and winter is the easiest time of year for it to travel.

Expect a quiet first season while the roots go down, then the first proper flowering display in year two. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read the full crepe myrtle care guide.
• Compare varieties in the crepe myrtle collection.
• Do crepe myrtles lose their leaves explains the deciduous cycle.
• Browse other trees for driveways and avenues.

Common questions

Does it really lose all its leaves?

Yes, it is fully deciduous, colouring orange in autumn and staying bare until spring. That is the point of the plant, because the bare season is when the trunk shows.

How close can I plant it to paving?

The roots are non-invasive, so 2m from a driveway or slab is comfortable. Allow the same from a wall, so the 4m wide canopy develops evenly.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

Yes. Crepe myrtles are not toxic to cats or dogs, so a pet that chews leaves or fallen flowers is not at risk.

How much water does it need once established?

Very little. After two summers of regular deep watering it handles dry spells and heat on its own, though a soak in a long drought keeps flowering heavier.