Tuscarora Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica ‘Tuscarora’)

The Tuscarora Crape Myrtle has a unique color out of the dozens of crape myrtles. The deep pink blooms with red-orange fall foliage with green-tan-ivory-mottled bark are gorgeous. Gardeners grow the Lagerstroemia indica Tuscarora as a striking backdrop in the garden. The reason is that the green foliage that forms a canopy in summer is beautiful, with dense and ruffled blooms. You can expect the Tuscarora crape myrtle to start blooming in mid-summer, and it will continue for ten weeks into late summer and fall.

I. Appearance and Characteristics

Lagerstroemia indica ‘Tuscarora,’ commonly known as Tuscarora Crepe Myrtle, is a stunning deciduous shrub or small tree prized for its captivating floral display and vibrant foliage. Originating from Asia, this cultivar has made its mark as an excellent choice for enhancing the beauty of gardens, parks, and urban landscapes.

The mature height of the Lagerstroemia indica ‘Tuscarora’ is around 4-5 meters. The growth rate of the Lagerstroemia indica ‘Tuscarora’ is considered to be moderate.

The leaves of the Lagerstroemia indica ‘Tuscarora’ are green, oval-shaped and slightly glossy, with a pleasing texture. The bark is grayish-brown and exfoliates to reveal a smooth, cream-colored trunk. The most notable feature of the Lagerstroemia indica ‘Tuscarora’ is its large, cone-shaped clusters of pink, lavender, purple or white blooms that appear from summer through to fall.

II. How to Grow and Care

Sunlight

The best lighting conditions for your Tuscarora crape myrtle to prevent it from diminishing is full sun. Enjoying the coral pink flowers and fall foliage with winter bark requires six hours of daily sun.

Temperature and Humidity

Most Tuscarora trees can survive temperatures down to zero and can survive winters as they are tough trees that return yearly. Still, in harsh winters, the foliage can become damaged. But with proper care and protection, it helps these trees to survive.

When fall arrives, provide your Tuscarora crape myrtle with enough water to protect it from winter damage like frost. It also helps to lay a thick layer of mulch as it adds nutrition to the soil and insulates the root system.

We recommend a four-inch thick layer around the base to prevent it from piling up against the trunk. Nonetheless, it also helps to create a barrier when the trees young by wrapping the trunk with burlap or use a plant cover for a small tree.

You can plant your tree in a container indoors for icy regions. But please wait until the leaves fall off the branches before taking them indoors.

Watering

Your mature trees can withstand warm summers in plant-growing zone 7 to 9. Still, it will need deep watering in the first two years after planting. But when grown in sandy soil, your tree will need more water grown in clay or loam.

Only weekly watering is needed for trees planted in a cool region to keep the roots growing. In warm to dry regions, it may need regular watering. Also, water more in summer to help support the coral pink blooms.

Soil

The Tuscarora crape is not demanding when it comes to soil types. It can flourish in well-drained soil with a pH of 5.0 to 7.5. An ideal soil pH is an acidic one of 6.5.

The small tree does not tolerate salt, and inland soils are fine. But your coastal garden with saline soil and salt spry can become problematic.

Fertilizing

You can feed your crepe myrtle annually or semi-annually until it reaches its first full bloom. The feed you use needs to have nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

We recommend a balanced fertilizer like 8-2-4 to provide the basic needs of your tree. Alternatively, a slow-release fertilizer works best.

Thus add some feed in early spring to encourage new foliage and blooms.

Pruning

Once winter arrives, your tree will lose its leaves and look dead. Now is the time to prune and trim your tree. Still, you do not want to cut your crape myrtles down to nothing.

Look for dead, broken, or densely twigged sections to remove.

Or remove the small branches impeding the air circulation in the canopy. To contain the size, you can remove the lower limbs gradually. You can do a light prune in early spring to help with new growth and flowerproduction.

Propagation

You can grow the Tuscarora crape myrtle from seeds or use cuttings to grow new plants. Here are both techniques you can follow:

Growing From Seeds

• Look out for the berries that become seedpods.
• Once brown, the pods split open, and it happens in the fall.
• Collect the dried seed and save them until spring.
• Press the seeds out of the pod and place them in a moist potting mix in a pot or planting tray.
• Then add a thin layer of sphagnum moss over the seeds and place it in a plastic bag.
• Leave the seeds to germinate in a warm spot, and it should take up to three weeks to germinate.

For root cuttings, you can dig them up in early spring after the last frost and plant the roots into pots.

Leave the containers in a warm spot to develop a root system. Another way to grow the root cuttings is to plant directly into a compost rooting bed. Insert the cuttings four inches deep and space them six inches apart.

Mulch around the cuttings to retain moisture and mist them regularly.

Pests and Diseases

The Tuscarora crape myrtle is fairly pest-resistant and trouble-free. But as with most plants, they can become susceptible to aphids and the Japanese beetle.

As mentioned, most other crape myrtles are prone to powdery mildew, but Tuscarora is a mildew-resistant crape myrtle. Other disease concerns are leaf spots or sooty mold.

III. Uses and Benefits

The Lagerstroemia indica ‘Tuscarora’ is a popular ornamental tree that is grown for its striking and vibrant blooms, which are long-lasting and bring color to the garden from summer to fall. It can be used in a variety of garden settings, including as a specimen tree, in group plantings, as a hedge, or as a street tree.