Crepe Myrtle 'Apalache'

Does anyone have this cultivar growing? Any ideas on where to get it? It's a cross of L. indica x fauriei, lavendar blooms, and grows to about 30 feet tall. Pictures are here: http://plantsdatabase.com/go/38006/

I desperately need to get ahold of at least one of these trees for my own yard, and cannot find any company who sells it.

dave

Dave
I'll check around here for you, homestead might have it. They've got a zillion different crepes.

jody: If anyone has it, homestead would. Trish brought me my favorite true dwarf CM from them, as well as our cool 'Edward Goucher' Abelia.

Please do take a look and see next time you're there and let me know! Sanks!

dave

Dave, here are two sources, in case Homestead doesn't have it:

Fosterfolly: http://www.fosterfolly.com/favorite.htm

Cottage Garden (which by a strange coincidence just got added to the GWD): http://www.cottgardens.com/perennials_extra.htm

By the way, I found it was more commonly spelled with two e's - Apalachee, instead of Apalache. Noble Plants (M. Dirr's site) has it both ways, but not intentionally - go figure.)

Vols, I actually called Noble Plants yesterday and spoke to a very nice lady who talked to me for quite a while about their business. She was very interested in hearing about DG, the PDB, and the GWD. I told her to visit and make sure she's listed. :)

Anyway, I had called with the hopes that maybe they had it in stock for sale, but she said they only carry two types of CM (common ones, to boot).

UT has one of these growing, and getting a cutting from them might also work (if I could get their permission). I'll be in downtown Knoxville later today, hmmm. :)

Failing that, I'll check the companies you referenced above. Between all these paths, one must contain my Apalache! :)

dave

Sorry i can't help with the Apalache you'd like, but i was tickled to see that you think Abelia 'Edward Goucher' is cool. It's one i treasure too :)

Well, I dropped by the UT gardens this afternoon, and low and behold 3 cuttings accidentally landed in my pocket. Well, no sense wasting good cuttings, so I have them potted up and (hopefully) rooting. They were semi-hardwood (softwood is best for crepe myrtles) so we'll just have to wait and see.

dave

Tsk tsk tsk. Naughty cuttings - shame on them for falling off the plant like that - good thing you were there to "rescue" them ;0)

Yes, absolutely! They'd be dried and shriveled by now! It really makes you wonder what happens to all those cuttings that fall off when you are NOT there! ;-)

...really crossing my fingers that these guys root.

David, how are the UT gardens looking? It's been so hot and dry all summer, I'm just wondering. I should go visit them next time I go to Knoxville.

GL - they were surprisingly beautiful! I don't know if they irrigate or what, but it looks like they've had plenty of rainfall or something. Stunning!

dave

Can anyone tell me how to root trumpet vine and if this is a good time? These cuttings will come from the house of a veery special old friend who just died. He sat on his porch and waved at me every morning for years, even stood behind his storm door and waited for me during bad weather. He did this for 12 years before I got to know him, but I finally decided to stop and thank him and let him know how much he meant to me through some very hard times. My spousal unit made him a raku pot. He died a few months after that and these trumpet vines will be a living memorial to him. I realize, of course, that they can be invasive so I will be careful where I put them.

What is this Homestead nursery? Does it have a website?

Invasive - who cares? They're great - I've got a one year old I've grown from seed. Can't wait till it's big and invasive and will host lots of hummingbirds!

How do you root them? Help! GrannyLois.

I don't know, WS - sorry ...
You'll have to experiment: try rooting it like you do other things - cut it, then remove the leaves from the bottom 3-4" and put it in water. Then take some other cuttings and prepare them the same way and put them in a pot, keeping the soil moist until they take root. Also, look for seed pods every week or so - it should have some if it's had flowers. When they're totally dry, harvest them, and then, ask Dave how to plant them. I think he's done it successfully that way. I planted some by seed in the house, under shop lights, and one has done really well for me.

Dave, I got into this thread late, but do believe that cultivar was bred by the National Arboretum, and I also think their website has a link to nurseries that carry their hardy crape myrtles. Sorry I don't have the link anymore.

You're right, Darius. This beautiful cultivar was bred by Dr. Donald Egolf of the U.S. National Arboretum. All Crepe Myrtles that he cultivared (20 total) are named after Indian tribes.

Here's a good article by Michael Dirr: http://www.nobleplants.com/articles/ajclagerstroemia.htm

dave

Can't you just see Dave lurking around the UT campus at night with a little sharp knife.....

Not at night - in broad daylight!!! :)

*heh heh*

"eyes"

Dave, if you aren't familiar with this site, please check it out. This on-line nursery features crape myrtle at http://www.crapemyrtle.com . Hope it helps and you get the one that you have been yearning for :~)

Shirley, that company is notorious for their poor customer service. http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/1530/

We've had one negative comment, and I've heard dozens of other horror stories from others. It's too bad to see a company devoted to CM's have such a bad reputation. I won't be doing business with them.

Thanks for the link, anyway!

dave

Dave, I wasn't aware that the Crepe Myrtle Nursery had such poor customer service, did not send good size plants, or stand behind their products. What a shame, since they do have a nice selection of trees, bushes, mini's, and container sizes of CM's! I'll keep searching the web, since I love CM's too!!! Hopefully next time will be a charm :~)

I have no idea how I got off the subject and got onto trumpet vine. I'm sure I meant to post that elsewhere, but I am out of gingko, so.......I apoligize.

Whoop whoop whoop whoop whoop whoop whoop whoop! It took 20 days, but I have 2 rooted cuttings!! YES! They are not very advanced yet, but they are showing new growth (new branch growing out of the top node)! I was hoping for one to succeed, but two is just icing on the cake.

Signed,

A very happy Dave with 2 shiny new rooted Crepe Myrtle's 'Apalache'.

This message was edited Tuesday, Sep 10th 12:00 AM

Way to go, Dave!

Stolen pleasures are somehow sweeter aren't they

hee hee hee....




donna

Wow, has it only been five weeks? Look what I had waiting for me in my office this morning. :)

dave

:) Nice!

Dave well done!! I hate to say this after all your searching but.......I think I have it!! Ouch!! It's a small tree as yet and the Japanese beetles did a great job on the few blooms but will take a photo next year and compare!! :-)

great going Dave!!