PlantFiles: Crepe Myrtle, Crape Myrtle
Lagerstroemia indica 'Dynamite'

I bought this standard upright plant at Lowes two years ago. They were taking it off the delivery truck and only one was available .Its flame red caught my eye immediately and I took posession of it , it didnt have a price tag on it. By the time I got to the checkout counter I had numerous people admiring it and two persons wanting to buy it from me. I thought that I would have problems with mildew here in humid south Florida, but I did'nt. I fertilize it with rose fertilizer in april and June and let nature take its course. I remove any lower shoots to keep it a standard and I clip off the flower stem after flowering. What a" looker" it is.

Beautiful red flowers (almost dark red) with NO HINT of pink. This is its first year, and the end of every shoot is covered in buds. No mildew or disease.

I bought a Crepe Myrtle 'Dynamite' from Lowes, so I thought "what the heck I'll try it", I kept the receipt within reach because I was skeptical that it would make it thru the Winter.
Well, all early and mid Spring I thought, "there it went, time for the refund" but lo and behold around June 15th it started sprouting from the base, I couldn't believe it.
And it put on a show too! For a long time it had many pretty red flowers, I would guess for nearly 3 months it bloomed, until early October if memory serves. I'll post a pic of it Sept 23rd 07' when it was still blooming beautifully. You can see in the pic how much it died back. It used to be a much taller plant where-ever it was grown at. And sorry about the weeds, I'll get them pulled out of there better this year (it even has weed fabric underneath). Here its but a mere small shrub, which is fine its still beautiful. But more northern growers of it like myself have to remember it will never mature very big at all.
Will

Here in southeastern PA, it is best sited along a south facing wall. Out in the open yard it has died back, but along the south wall it grows to 6-8' each year, then cut back to 4' in spring. Nice red flowers - BUT, if the flowers are opening during cloudy weather, or if planted in too much shade, they can be off-color (some white florets).

Mine does not bloom until August / September.

Withstands Alabama heat and humidity. A traffic stopper in the summertime.

I have seen this plant growing in Virginia and it was starting to bloom white, like it is reverting back or something.

Does anyone know what the differences are between the Dynamite and Red Rocket varieties? My father in-law really likes the red crepe myrtles, and we're getting them for him on father's day. He's pretty particular, though. Most important to him is probably the color. Is one of these more of a "true red" than the other?
If anyone knows, I'd really appreciatre it. Thanks!

Hey Carolmac7, be sure to update us on how it does with humidity. Here in CA humidity is low so I don't have problems with powdery mildew. I bought 2, a multi branch and a standard. My other lagers are 'Indian Tribes' varieties, hybridized for disease and pest resistance. Finally, a red lager that is red-red, not orange-red! And the blooms are large! Now......if the hybridizers would only come out with a dwarf (24"), evergreen, red-leaved, white-flowering plant.............

Beautiful red full flowering with dark green foilage...planted 20 down the driveway with great success.
Our only regret is that this one loses its foilage earlier than other varieties.
Projected height 12 to 15 ft. We planted them 12 ft apart.
Very hardy in our area.