"Red Rocket" - how far to grow from the house?

We just moved into a new house and there is a "Red Rocket" (myrtle?) tree planted in the front garden. The tree is about 4 ft. We thought is was dead as there were no leaves just 2 weeks ago and had planned on removing it. Now the buds and leaves are coming out. Does anyone know how far and deep the roots grow? How far away from the exterior wall do we need to plant this tree? We wanted to make sure that the roots won't cause damage to the walls or foundation if it was not planted properly.

Thanks much!

I think you'll be okay--Crepe myrtles are common in foundation plantings down here--4 feet is a little close because the foliage might be against the house, but I wouldn't worry about the roots

Some crapes are nice smallish shrubs, but others get to be decent size trees. A shrub sized one would probably be fine as a foundation planting, but if it's a tree size one then I think it's probably too close to the house.

I don't have Red Rocket so I don't know how big it gets, but Plant Files lists it as being one of the bigger ones, so if PF is correct then you're going to need to move it farther from the house http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/3012/ But Plant Files isn't always correct, so before you break out the shovel I'd do a bit of googling and see if other sources say the same thing.

When you say 4 ft. are you referring to the height of the crapemyrtle or the distance from the foundation?

Red Rocket reaches a height of 20 to 30 ft with a spread of 15 to 20 feet at maturity, so it would need to be at least 10 feet from your roof line to avoid contact with the house.

http://www.fast-growing-trees.com/RedRocket.htm

I guess I am so used to people who keep them pruned, I wasn't thinking of size it can grow to--most people cut them down to 5 feet or so every year, so they never get tall

Are you sure the plants you're seeing are the Red Rocket cultivar? There are oodles of crape myrtle cultivars, and there are quite a few of them that do stay smaller and more shrublike so I suspect those are the ones you're seeing.

Thank you all for taking the time to respond to my question. There is a tag left on the tree when the builder planted the tree and that is why we know it is a "Red Rocket" (I am still not a plant/tree expert without the tag;-). The tree is 4 ft HEIGH and planted about 2+ ft away from the exterior wall. My research indicated that "Red Rocket" is a myrtle tree that can grow, as some of you said, 10-20 ft heigh. Maybe it is safe just to remove it or wait for another year or so to see how fast and big it grows. I am only ready for the little flowers and plants, not a shovel to remove a tree so it may be a next year project. In the mean time, I would appreciate any more definitive information on this.

Many thanks!!!

Ecrane, you would not believe how folks butcher crapemyrtles. Every spring we see dozens of them whacked back to within less than 6 ft tall. New folks moved into our neighborhood a couple years ago and the first yard work they did was to cut 10-15 ft tall myrtles down to about 6 ft tall. It gives the effect of a shrub on a tree trunk and looks horrible. It is referred to as Crape murder here in the south.

GardeninginKens, here is more info on CM's for you.

http://www.ag.auburn.edu/hort/landscape/crapemyrtle2.htm

The trees around our house were planted too close to the foundation, and it is a headache! Roots of one of largest ones was damaging the foundation, the others just needed major pruning to not grow up over the windows, or rub on the siding, etc. And, we don't want to water so close to the crumbly foundation, so they get no supplemental water even if there is a drought. If it was mine, I'd try to relocate it farther from the house while it is still small. I'm not sure, but I think it might be best to wait until fall to move it.