Crepe vs. Crape

This morning in chat, the subject of the proper spelling of Crepe vs. Crape (as in Myrtles) came up. Some interesting info:

Crepe
NOUN: 1. A light soft thin fabric of silk, cotton, wool, or another fiber, with a crinkled surface. Also called crape.
2. See crape (sense 2).
3. Crepe paper.
4. Crepe rubber.
5. (also krp) A very thin small pancake, often stuffed and rolled up.
ETYMOLOGY: French crêpe, from Old French crespe, curly, from Latin crispus. See sker-2 in Appendix I.

(from Bartleby: http://www.bartleby.com/61/5/C0740500.html)

Here are the results when you Google for crepe: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=crepe

Crape
crape (noun) -
1. a soft thin light fabric with a crinkled surface
Synonyms: crepe
2. small very thin pancake
Synonyms: crepe, French pancake

crape (verb) -
1. curl tightly, of hair
Synonyms: crimp, frizzle, frizz, kink up, kink
2. cover with crape
Synonyms: crepe

(from AnsMe.com: http://define.ansme.com/words/c/crape.html

Google results for Crape: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=crape

So how does everyone else spell it?

I had this discussion with a member a week or two ago. After running a number of searches it appears that both spellings are widely used. Google has 10,000 for one and 8,000 for the other. RHS doesn't know either, they also list both spellings

http://www.rhs.org.uk/Databases/HortDatabase.asp?ID=100448

As it's a common name and not the botanical, in cases like this I don't think it matters a great deal what the 'correct' spelling is.

This message was edited Thursday, Feb 13th 3:06 PM

I think we put both in the PDB (I'd have to double-check to make sure.) But this one can sure rile up some self-respecting Southerners who will brook no nonsense about how to spell this beloved plant. I was taken to task about a year ago by a very genteel South Carolinian in her 70s who was CERTAIN we must be a bunch of unschooled heathens to spell it however we were spelling it in the PDB at the time.

You must understand: we southerners can't wrap our tongues around Lagerstroemia. (Well, we could, but it'd wind up being about 20 syllables.) So instead we draw our line in the sand and chastise anyone who spells the common name differently than us. The "proper" spelling apparently differs by region, lolol. As for me, I just keep quietly practicing lagerstroemia: "lag-er-STREE-mee-uh". (Or is it "lag-er-STROO-mee-uh"???)

This message was edited Thursday, Feb 13th 6:59 PM

A Crepe/Crape Myrtle is STILL a Crape/Crepe Myrtle, whether you pronounce it with a Southern drawl, or a Northeastern dialect, of course minus the letter "R...a", or just call it a Lagerstroemia, if you can pronounce that mouth full! :~)

You are correct go_vols, that it depends on the region of the U.S. that you live in. Here in the Mid-Atlantic, we use "crepe" to denote that yummy tasting "pancake", and "crape" to distinguish it as a Myrtle tree.

HOWEVER, whatever part of the U.S. that you live in, just make sure to spell "crape" correctly....................

As long as it isn't spelled creep, I don't much care either ;D

Vols

Send them to me and I'll tell them how lucky they are that I haven't anglosized it! *G*

It's one of those things that 'just is' I suspect.

This message was edited Thursday, Feb 13th 7:34 PM

Ahh, how did I miss this thread??

It's spelled "Crepe Myrtle" and pronounced "Crape Myrtle". Clear as mud? :)

Also, I pronounce it "Lage-er-STROE-mee-ah". This is how most folks I know pronounce it, also.

(Well, that's how we say it in Texas) :)

best,
dave

This brings back memories! My Aunt had a lovely Myrtle tree in her yard when I was a child. We called it "the wash your mouth out with soap tree" We NEVER called it Myrtle because that was her dogs name!

I'm with Dave in the pronuciation of Lagerstroemea. Of course it isn't hardy here and i have to grow it in the greenhouse. Donna

Speaking of Crepe/Crape Myrtle--I have a 10 yr old plant and it has never bloomed. Any Ideas??(I am in PA Zone 6)

skywarrior,

Where is your Crepe/Crape Myrtle positioned? Perhaps, it is not receiving enough sun? Which variety do you have?

Skywarrior, hi :) I also am zone 6, and have a couple dwarf lagerstroemerias (how's that for a good way to avoid controversy ;D They need a whole lot of heat and sun to stimulate flowering. I have mine in (almost) full sun, and beside a concrete sidewalk so it gets even more reflected light/heat. A few others in town who have them survive, don't get flowers because they don't get enough hot sun.
Can you do something to get more heat by them? Reflectors of some kind.

Curious: do yours die to the ground in the winter? A couple winters mine have, other winters they haven't, depends on the winter temps, I guess. But mine re-sprout and bloom just fine.

I got mine from Park's originally; they are called by a terminally cute name: 'Crape Myrtlette'

never got confused about how to spell it til I came here:) we always spell it crape.

It is in a spot that gets sun from sunup until about 2-3pm. No it does not die back in winter. I have no idea what kind it is but someone told me you need 2 to have them bloom. It is a pretty little tree even without the blooms but I would love to have it bloom

skywarrior, if it is getting that much sun, it should surely bloom; they bloom easily, even from seed the first year. I also grew the crape myrtlettes, they eventually reach 4 feet, but some winters do die back to the ground.

There is no reason you would need two of them to get blooms. That would only apply to plants that need cross-pollination to produce seeds after flowering.

I will tell you this: I had an albizzia (mimosa) tree, which reached the age of about 18 without ever flowering. Of course, it was a rare white one... Have three new ones started, hoping for flowers this lifetime; also have sown seeds for a red fragrant one.

Durn Tootin', Dave!!!

"eyes"