| General Description | Lagerstroemia subcostata var. fauriei or the Japanese Crape/Crepe Myrtle is a woody deciduous tree-like plant. It is a Crape/Crepe Myrtle that originates from the Yakushima islands of Japan. It is similar to the Crape-Myrtle but with a smaller set of flowers and blossoms that rarely change colour in the fall. This tree is more cold and heat tolerant than its cousin, the common Crape Myrtle. |
| ID Characteristic | Has an opposite, simple, and entire leaf structure with an elliptic, oblong, or obviate shape. The leaf venation is pinnate. The leaves colour tends to stay a dark green throughout the year. The bark has a coppery colour that flakes off. The flowers are white with some having a pinkish hue. This tree flowers in the summer. The fruit shape is oval or round, they are dry or hard and have a brown colour. |
| Shape | Grows 35-50 feet tall with a 25-35 foot spread. It has a symmetrical, vase-shaped dense crown. |
| Landscape | The Lagerstroemia subcostata var. fauriei is popular for its inclusion in gardens as an ornamental plant, and because of its resistance to certain fungal diseases such as powdery mildew, which other Crape Myrtles are less hardy to. It is found naturally on Yakushima island where it grows around riverbed sediments and foot slopes of small watersheds. |
| Propagation | This tree can be propagated by seeds or cuttings. |
| Cultivation | This tree grows best in an area with full sun and fertile, moist soil. The soil is not very specific and can be made up of mainly clay, loam, or sand. The pH of the soil is also not very specific, as it can grow in slightly acidic or alkaline environments. The hardiness of this tree
however allows it to be planted in less hospitable areas. The tree should be pruned in late winter or early spring, as without the foliage in the way it is easier to see which branches should be cut through its dense canopy. The lower branches should be pruned off if you would like to expose its interesting bark characteristics. The flower heads of the first bloom can be cut off in order to prevent the formation of its brown fruits and encourage a second bloom. |
| Pests | Few pests are of concern to this very hardy tree, though when affected it is usually Aphids, which will cause an unsightly but harmless sooty mold. This tree is also affected by the Japanese Beetles and Crapemyrtle Bark Scale. The fungal diseases that affect this plant the most include
powdery mildew (however this plant has a special resistance in comparison to other Crape Myrtles), the sooty mold caused by the aphids, Cercospora Leaf Spot, and different strains of lichen. |
| Habitat | The natural habitat of the Lagerstroemia subcostata var. fauriei is limited to the island of Yakushima Japan, where it grows near riverbed sediments and on the foots of small watersheds. Though not internationally recognized as threatened, its growing area is limited to this very specific island. |
| Bark/Stem Description | The bark of this tree is one of its main ornamental features. The bark has a coppery/brown colour with bark that peels and sheds over time. The tree tends to stem off from the main trunk, with many stems either having one solid trunk with many stems or stems starting right at the base of the tree. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | This tree has green flowers and leaf buds. |
| Leaf Description | Has an opposite, simple, and entire leaf structure with an elliptic, oblong, or obviate shape. The leaves are 2-4 inches in length and tend to stay a dark green throughout the year. |
| Flower Description | The flowers bloom in clusters an average of 4 inches in diameter, with each flower being less than 1 inch in size. The flowers bloom in summer and have a very showy white colour, sometimes with a pinkish hue. |
| Fruit Description | The fruit is round or oval and less than 0.5 inch in diameter, starting out green and soft then turning brown, dry, and hard. |
| Colour Description | The fall colour is not showy, generally staying green all year. The fruit is brown. The flowers and bark are the main attractions of colour for this tree. The flowers are a showy white colour while the bark is coppery and brown. |
| Texture Description | This tree has a medium texture. |