Slender Black Crepe Myrtle

Slender Black Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica 'Slender Black') is the answer to a narrow gap that still needs height and something to look at. It grows to about 3.5m tall but only 1.2m wide, holds dark burgundy foliage through the warm months, and carries pink flower panicles from early summer. In a side passage or a narrow strip, few flowering trees are this well behaved.

Why you'll love it

• Height without width. At roughly 3.5m by 1.2m it screens a fence line or a window in a strip most trees would burst out of.
• Dark foliage, pink flowers. The near black leaf makes the pink panicles read far stronger than on a green crepe myrtle.
• Two seasons of colour. Flowers through summer, then the foliage turns before the leaves drop, leaving bare stems for winter.
• Roots that stay out of trouble. Non-invasive roots make it safe beside paving, a driveway or a boundary fence.

Where it works best

Narrow screening and privacy. Plant 1m apart for a narrow screen. At that spacing the canopies knit into a continuous column of foliage without ever pushing into the path beside them.

Driveways and entries. A run at 1.5m to 2m spacing separates the plants while keeping a formal rhythm, which suits a driveway or front boundary.

Small gardens and pots. A single plant works as a vertical accent in a courtyard, and a pot 500mm or wider holds it at around 2m to 2.5m.

Growing Slender Black Crepe Myrtle in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, six hours minimum. Shade is the usual reason a crepe myrtle disappoints, cutting flowering and thinning the dark leaf colour. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid gardens, so most of the country outside the wet tropics.

Soil. Any reasonably drained soil, including poor and sandy ground. It does not want wet feet, so raise the planting on heavy clay and mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then every fortnight. After two seasons it manages dry spells alone. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is enough, and avoid high nitrogen feeds that push leaf at the cost of flower.

Pruning. Prune in late winter while it is bare. Take out crossing branches and tip the spent flower heads, but never cut the framework back to stubs, which ruins the narrow habit this plant is grown for.

What to expect when it arrives

This variety is currently supplied in one size, tube stock, grown to order, so allow time for it to be prepared before dispatch. Tube plants are young and single stemmed, often knee height or less. That sounds modest, but crepe myrtles establish quickly from small sizes and it is much the cheapest way to plant a run.

Because it is deciduous, stock sent between late autumn and early spring arrives bare or nearly bare. That is normal, not a fault, and buds break as soon as the soil warms. Expect two to three seasons before it reads as a screen. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read the complete crepe myrtle care guide.
• Compare the full range in our crepe myrtle collection.
• Browse other tall and narrow screening plants.
• Want a larger tree? White Crepe Myrtle 'Natchez' reaches about 6m.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

One metre apart in a single row. Because the mature width is only about 1.2m, tighter spacing does not close the screen faster and makes watering harder.

Will it really stay narrow?

Yes, the narrow habit is bred in rather than maintained by clipping. Light tip pruning after flowering keeps it tidy, but it will not spread into a rounded tree if you leave it alone.

Does it lose its leaves?

It is fully deciduous and stands bare from roughly June to September, longer in cool temperate gardens. If you need a screen that works in winter, choose an evergreen instead.