Lagerstroemia indica Terrasse Rouge - Crape Myrtle

The Lagerstroemia indica 'Terrasse Rouge' is a new variety. This small Indian lilac has a dense and compact habit and an abundant and early summer flowering of a beautiful intense red, punctuated by yellow stamens. Also selected for its good hardiness, this small deciduous bush with the appearance of a flower ball will not only be wonderful in a large pot on the terrace, but also in a rockery or in the center of a low perennial bed. It will be given a warm and sheltered location and full sun exposure, in a neutral to acidic soil.

The Lagerstroemia indica 'Terrasse Rouge' belongs to the Lythraceae family. The Lagerstroemia indica, from which it is derived, originates from China. 'Terrasse Rouge' is part of the new 'Terrasse' range, a line of Indian Lilacs that are more resistant, hardy, and early, with compact growth, suitable for small gardens and pot culture. This bush has a stocky and ramified habit. It will reach approximately 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in) in height and 1 m (3 ft 4 in) in width in 10 years. Its growth is slow. It chooses the month of June to start its flowering, which will continue until October. The flowers are characterized by thin pedicels each carrying five petals with undulate edges. The flowers, which have a texture similar to crepe, are gathered in dense panicles, at the ends of the year's branches. In 'Terrasse Rouge', the flowers are intense magenta red with a heart of golden yellow stamens. The foliage, leathery and deciduous, is shiny green. It consists of small ovate leaves, which sometimes take on beautiful yellow or red hues in autumn, depending on the climate. Lastly, its bark is of a great beauty, smooth, beige striated with brown-red, that flake off in coloured plaques (cinnamon, faded red, old pink, cream).

Traditionally, varieties of Indian Lilacs, such as 'Terrasse Rouge', put these fantastic small trees within the reach of all gardens and all sunny terraces. Of modest size, bushy, floriferous, and better adapted to colder areas, we will adopt it by carefully choosing its location. It is ideally placed in a garden rockery, or installed in the center of a low bed, near the house, where you can fully enjoy its generosity. This plant will look good in front of a bush bed, or a flowering hedge. Compose a bed like a bouquet, with Campanula pyramidalis, Salvia sclarea, Aster laevis. In autumn, it accompanies the colourful aster. In a pot on the terrace, it puts on a show while the summer flowerings fade.

NB: Karl Von Linnaeus named this tree to honour his friend Magnus Von Lagestroem (1696 – 1759), who had sent it to him from India for identification. Originally, this tree was used to decorate Chinese temples. We would like to point out that this tree produces fruits that have a narcotic action if ingested.