My parents had a few crepe myrtle trees in their back yard when they lived in Brenham with the blooms ranging from light pink to fuchsia and lavender. My mom loved the time that she lived there because of all of the flowering plants such as azaleas, althea, hydrangea, gladiolas, roses, iris, and lilies.

I was a partial to the gladiolas because they were mailed to us in error of another selection. The glads were variegated with maroon and purple as offset colors. The purple glads actually had three different hues which were beautiful. I made one flower arrangement with yellow, melon, pink, and purple flowers in a teardrop formation such that it looked like an eye.

My mother was just enthralled with the Crape Myrtles. She bugged my dad over and over can we stop and get one. We never saw any in Ohio. Well my dad finally did stop at a nursery for her once. When my dad told owner of the nursery that we were from Ohio, the owner asked if we lived north or south of Columbus. My dad replied “north” so in answer to that, the nursery man refused to sell us one because he said it wouldn’t live in NE Ohio. My mother was heartbroken! We left empty handed. To this day, I think of her whenever I see those beautiful Crape Myrtles.

First time I noticed them was when we lived in NW DC, on the way to/from downtown; now I notice them often, in southern MD.

We have a pale purple crepe myrtle that started as a tiny stick from the Arbor Day Society. Now, its huge--probably close to 20 ft around.

Would love to see it!