Lagerstroemia tomentosa (White Crape Myrtle, Leza )
Botanical Information
| Family | Lythraceae |
| Genus | Lagerstroemia |
| Species | tomentosa |
| Synonyms | Murtughas tomentosa |
| Category | Woody |
| Type | Tree (deciduous) |
| Origin | Southern China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Zone | 10a - 11 |
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone | Requires cold season protection under glass. |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Zone | H3 - H1c |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | -1.1-10 |
| Temperature (°F) | 30-40 |
| Height | 20 - 35 metres |
| Growth | Slow |
| Flowering Period | April, May |
Description and Growing Information
| Propagation | By seed. |
| Cultivation | Grow in moist, well-drained soils in full sun. |
| Notable Specimens | Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. |
| Habitat | Evergreen, semi-evergreen and mixed deciduous forests, usually occupying the lower slopes of hills and well-drained valleys on deep rich soils; at elevations from 600 - 1,200 metres. |
| Bark/Stem Description | A straight bole free of branches for most of its height and up to 80 cm in diameter. |
| Leaf Description | Oblong-lanceolate to ovate leaves, measuring about 8 - 18 cm long and 4 - 6.5 cm wide, petiole measuring about 4 - 8 mm long, abaxial surface is tomentose. |
| Flower Description | White flowers, sometimes pale pink, with crinkled petals and borne in panicles measuring about 8 - 20 m long, sepals measuring about 3 - 4 mm long, numerous stamens clustered in the centre, ovary densely tomentose. |
| Fruit Description | The fruit is a globose to ovoid-oblong capsule, measuring about 1 - 1.5 cm by 0.8 - 1.1 cm. Seeds including wings measure about 6 - 7 mm long. |
Photographs
Lagerstroemia tomentosa, form, Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand.
Lagerstroemia tomentosa, bark, Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand.