Enduring Summer Red Crepe Myrtle

Enduring Summer Red (Lagerstroemia indica 'Enduring Summer Red') is the crepe myrtle for a garden with nowhere to put a tree. It is a true dwarf at about 1.2m tall and 1.2m wide, and it reblooms: the first flush of deep red flowers opens in early summer, and trimming the spent heads brings on a second.

Why you'll love it

• It reblooms. Trim the spent flower heads after the first flush and a second wave follows, which stretches the display well into autumn.
• Dwarf, not merely compact. At 1.2m each way it stays a shrub, so it belongs in a pot, a border or on a balcony rather than needing a lawn.
• Deep red at the hottest time of year. The flowers come when most gardens look tired, and bees and butterflies work them.
• Low maintenance. Frost hardy, drought tolerant and heat tolerant once established, with autumn colour before the leaves drop.

Where it works best

Pots, balconies and courtyards. A 400mm to 500mm pot holds one comfortably for years. It still needs full sun, and more frequent water than it would take in the ground.

Borders and mass planting. Plant 1m apart for a low mass planting or a flowering border. At that spacing plants touch without crowding and read as a continuous band of colour.

Small gardens. Use it where a full sized crepe myrtle would swallow the space: beside a path, under a window, or in a narrow bed along a fence.

Growing Enduring Summer Red in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, six hours minimum. Shade is the usual reason a crepe myrtle disappoints, costing both flower count and plant health. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate, subtropical and Mediterranean gardens, with flowering later and shorter the further south you are.

Soil. Any reasonably drained soil, or a quality potting mix in containers. On clay, plant slightly high and work compost through the bed first, then mulch 50mm deep off the stems.

Water and feed. Deep water twice a week through the first summer, then a fortnightly soak in dry weather. Potted plants need checking twice a week in summer regardless. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is enough.

Pruning. Two jobs. Trim the spent flower heads through summer to trigger the rebloom, then prune lightly in late winter while the plant is bare, taking out weak and crossing stems.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold as 140mm pots in packs of ten and as single 300mm plants. The 140mm plants are young and are the value option for a border run or a mass planting. A 300mm plant is the better start for a single pot.

As a deciduous plant, stock sent between late autumn and early spring arrives bare or nearly bare. That is normal, and buds break as the soil warms. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, with our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read the crepe myrtle care guide for feeding and pruning detail
• Do crepe myrtles lose their leaves
• Compare the full crepe myrtle collection
• Browse plants suited to balconies for companions in pots

Common questions

How big does it really get?

About 1.2m tall and 1.2m wide. This is a dwarf selection rather than a young tree, so it will not turn into a 6m crepe myrtle if you leave it alone.

What does reblooming mean in practice?

Cut the spent flower heads off once the first summer flush fades and the plant sets a second round of buds. Skip that job and you still get a good display, just a shorter one.

How far apart should I plant them?

One metre apart for a low mass planting or a border. That lets each plant reach its full 1.2m width with the canopies just meeting.

Can it live permanently in a pot?

Yes, in a 400mm or larger container with free draining mix and full sun. Refresh the top few centimetres of mix each spring and repot every three or four years.