crape myrtle

American  

Or crepe myrtle

noun

1. a tall Chinese shrub, Lagerstroemia indica, of the loosestrife family, having clusters of crinkled red, pink, purple, or white flowers, grown as an ornamental in the southern and western U.S.

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crape myrtle British  

noun

1. an oriental lythraceous shrub, Lagerstroemia indica, cultivated in warm climates for its pink, red, or white flowers

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Etymology

Origin of crape myrtle

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50

Example Sentences

Rather than basing the one-sheet around Lee Byung Hun’s scheming, murderous Man-su, she emphasized a blooming crape myrtle tree, a reference to the protagonist’s garden.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 9, 2025

And don’t replace them with something like crape myrtle, which is pretty but doesn’t offer much shade for the space it takes up.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 10, 2025

The crape myrtle bark scale has crept into the D.C. region in recent years.

From Washington Post • Apr. 21, 2023

There the team has planted about 25 different species, including Hong Kong orchid trees, Marina strawberry trees, and crape myrtle alongside natives like 'Desert Museum' palo verde.

From Salon • Oct. 26, 2022

Once the house was built, Connie planted several crape myrtle bushes out front.

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson