Vibrant Pink Blooms, Summer to Fall Why Sioux Crape Myrtles? With cold hardy Sioux Crape Myrtles, your landscape will never be without color, especially in the summer when their dark pink flowers enter a continuous blooming cycle that lasts into the fall. It's cold hardy to growing zone 6, with the ability to thrive under heavy layers of ice and snow. The Sioux Crape Myrtle brings its pink blooms farther north than most other crape myrtle varieties. A Crape that thrives down to 0 degrees? It seems almost too good to be true, but the Sioux delivers without hassle for you. And you'll be able to enjoy fragrant pink blooms for months. The flowers bloom in large clusters and have an attractive color that neighbors will stop to admire. This rich color looks even better against its backdrop of dark green leaves that create a radiant, contrasting show. In the fall, the leaves turn unique shades of purple and red. They glow in the landscape with vivid hues you'll have to see to believe. Basically, everything about the Sioux Crape Myrtle is colorful, even the bark. The older brown bark peels away to reveal bright beige bark underneath. Then, the older and younger bark intertwine on the trunk together to create a marbled look. Why Trees.com is Better Not only is your Sioux Crape Myrtle one of the toughest varieties available, resisting disease, drought and cold with ease...but it's also grown for success. Unlike the Crapes you get from big-box retailers, your Crape Myrtle is potted in nutrient-rich soil, planted and grown for months ahead of shipping, and ready to thrive as soon as it arrives at your door. We've taken care to ensure that your Sioux has the best possible start, with healthy roots and better branching. Now, nothing - from poor soil to pests - can stop your Sioux Crape Myrtle from flourishing with tons of color. But don't wait - get 100 days of blooms without the wait...get your Sioux Crape Myrtle today! Planting & Care 1. Planting: Select a location with well-drained soil and full sun (6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day). After you have found your planting area, make your hole twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep. Lightly comb your hands over the root ball to free up the roots a bit before planting. Place your tree in the hole and make sure that the root crown (where the root ball meets the trunk(s) of the tree) is level with the soil surface. Tamp down the soil lightly as you backfill the hole to prevent air pockets from forming and then water after you’ve finished. Finally, mulch the area around the tree to conserve water moisture and deter competing weeds and grasses from growing. 2. Watering: Myrtles are drought tolerant but may need a bit more attention with watering during the hot summer season. During the cooler seasons, you’ll only need to water once weekly. If you're not sure when to water, simply check your surrounding soil down to about 3 inches for dryness. 3. Fertilizing: Your Crape Myrtle will greatly benefit from an annual feeding of high nitrogen fertilizer, such as a 20-10-10 slow-release formula, in the early spring season. 4. Pruning: Prune in the late winter before any of the growth begins. For a more graceful tree shape, remove all but 4 to 5 strong trunks and then remove the lateral branches around the bottom half of the tree. To encourage branching, make your cuts on the longer, leggy limbs. Remove any damaged or crossing branches during the late winter. Also, be sure to remove any low-growing leaves and branches.
