Crepe Myrtle true from seed?

I have a bunch of seeds from a beautiful no name pale lavender crepe myrtle... Just curious if they grow true from seed? It is really pretty, but I don't want to bother with it if they aren't true to color.
Thank you,
Joyce

If you have other crepe myrtles in your area it is highly possible they will not be tru to seed. I have the one you are speaking of and it is beautiful. Have you tried cuttings?

Sandy

Chances are good, that a good portion of the seeds will be another color. You've got a Hybrid plant, and seeds that it produces may, or may not resemble the parent. It's like rolling dice as to getting one true to the parent.

You'd be better off taking cuttings...they aren't hard to root, and you'd be assured of getting exactly what you want.

Thank you Sandy,
The main reason I ask is to be sure of what I'm offering if anyone wanted the seeds. I don't want to make any false claims.

Thank you Melody, Yes, the tree is right next to some dark pink trees.. so I bet it's a mix.. Never thought of that!

I appreciate the input.. I'll take some cuttings this spring.
Thank you,
Joyce

You are very welcome. I have the one you are talking about and many other colors in my yard. I love crepe myrtles. I have a couple from seed growing in the wrong place and they are too big to share with any one as far as digging up. I have run out of room for more trees. Some of my crepe myrtles now don't get enough sun to bloom. :o(. They have been in the ground over 5 years so moving them would probaby kill them. And the tree shading them is the over 25 ft tall or more lavender crepe myrtle. Too tall to prune and too beautiful to cut down.

I have never tried cuttings LMK how they do.

Blessings,
Sandy ^8^

It would be ok to trade seeds...some folks will like the chance for mixed colors. I'd just be up front about how they were collected from an hybrid plant and there's a high probibility of mixed colors (and forms)

If you're sure that the trader understands that colors won't be consistant, then you're being truthful and accurate in your information.

Knowing the chances going in prepares the trader for what they are going to get....much better than getting a trade from someone on an Open Pollinated selection and after carefully growing and isolating it, you find you've got crossed seeds. (been there, done that)

75154 I bet would love some seeds.

Is there a special way to root cuttings from the crepe myrtles?
I tried about 15 cuttings last spring/summer and they all died.
I took the soft wood cuttings, maybe the harder wood cuttings
are better ? Is there a particular time of uear that is better ?

I would be interested in knowing other peoples results for cuttings...I have seed which I am wintersowing. I got it from a local store -there are no other myrtles around so I am hoping it will be true. I am interested in getting some cuttings and would like to root them as well

When they start growing again, I'll try some cuttings..
I took some suckers to transplant when they were like 3 feet away from the dark pink tree.. The tops wilted and died immediately, and didn't recover.. they are still dormant now, but that's as close as I've come to a "successful" cutting yet.
I will let you know how they do.

yes, please do. I wintersowed the seed last weekend so I am curious to see if it will germinate.

time of year has a lot to do with it. If I do it in late summer, only about 1/4 'take'. But I've done them in Sept and then just brought them in to the house for the winter.

I use short pieces that while they aren't the new tip growth, they aren't hardwood either.

Stick them in damp medium and pop a plastic bag over them with air holes cut into it. I leave them outside, but not where direct sun will hit them. It takes about 6 weeks and sometimes the leaves will fall off...then you'll get new growth.

I hope they do...I love them so!

I'm a beginner at this and was wondering where you get the seeds and also how do you cut the clippings?

I had found this on GW - and it is what prompted me to give starting by seed a shot.

>>Posted by: Nurmey 5 Omaha, NE (My Page) on Wed, Nov 9, 05 at 12:03

The seeds are in the hard pods. The pods are arranged like an orange, with several sections. When the pods start to crack, the seeds are ripe. You need to collect before the pods open completely or the seeds will fall out. The seeds look like papery commas and there are a lot in each pod.
The seeds are very viable and easy to grow.

Thanks for the info I thought that was where they were from just wasn't sure.

Sure thing! :-)

last year I rooted a bunch like Melody said. I just cut a piece of branch into short pieces with at least one node in the soil and one above. I started mine in December and they were well rooted and actively growing by spring. The plastic bag trick works for most things.