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

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

Tree varieties include Eureka lemon, pink guava, Golden Delicious apple, coast live oak, olive, crape myrtle, California sycamore, desert willow and torrey pines.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 26, 2024

Experts who have studied the spread say that, in towns and metropolitan areas, infestation rates can reach 80 to 100 percent of crape myrtle trees.

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