Why crepe myrtles went from beloved to 'crap myrtle'
Crepe myrtles are good in gardens but poor choices for large-scale street planting in Australian cities.
Crepe myrtles line many Australian streets, but opinion divides sharply on whether they belong there. In the right place and numbers, they are attractive, low-maintenance and live up to a hundred years.
Crepe myrtles cause problems in mass street planting: their flowers shed in volume and become slippery on pavements as they decay. The trees are smaller than oaks or elms, providing less shade and fewer habitats for birds and insects.
Like other street trees before them, pears, palms, elms, crepe myrtles have fallen in and out of fashion as councils and residents rethink what they really want from a city tree. Some locals now call them mockingly 'crap myrtles' and regret the over-planting.
Despite the backlash, crepe myrtles are likely to survive and thrive in Australia's hotter, drier future.
- 5 metres
- Maximum height
- about 50
- Lagerstroemia species
- Lagerstroemia archeriana
- Native species
Why it mattersHow cities choose street trees shapes the shade, cooling and wildlife value of your neighborhood.
AustraliaAustralian councils are reconsidering mass crepe myrtle planting in favour of taller, cooler-providing trees.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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