While most of us are wilting in the heat the magnificent Indian Summer Crepe Myrtles in the Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden could hardly look more gorgeous. They are covered in fresh delicate blooms despite the rising mercury.
The Indian Summer range of Crepe Myrtles are hybrids of the common Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) and the Japanese Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia fauriei). The combination has produced trees that resist powdery mildew, a fungal disease that can be seen on some older crepe myrtle varieties. Each cultivar is named after an American Indian tribe. The trees have a compact vase-like shape and range in size from around 3-6m fully grown.
Take a moment to look closely at the flowers. The distinctive petals of crepe myrtles are crinkly just like crepe paper, and come in almost as many different colours. There are deep reds, hot pinks, purples and white.
The abundant and beautiful long lasting blooms of the crepe myrtle have earned it a place in the top ten flowering trees of the world.
But the show won’t end with the summer. Most varieties colour well in autumn with leaf colours ranging from bright red, deep maroon, vibrant yellow, pink and burnt orange, all on the one tree. The bark is also beautiful, exfoliating early summer to reveal a bold, gnarled, sinuate and twisted trunk in mottled colours.
Their beauty, compact size and hardiness have made crepe myrtles popular street trees in Dubbo. They have been planted outside the Central Administration Building of Dubbo City Council and along Bourke Street.
Crepe Myrtles may be found in the Sensory Gardens and Shoyoen.
By Ian McAlister & Karen Hagan