Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Pers.
Half hardy, spreading, freely branching, evergreen tree with peeling, light brown bark, elliptic leaves, to 20cm long, and open panicles, to 40cm long, of pink, mauve, purple or white flowers, to 5cm wide, from spring to autumn. To 24m. [RHSE, Hortus].
Horticultural & Botanical History
Introduced to Britain in 1792. [JD]. ‘(The flowers are a) beautiful rose-colour in the morning, growing deeper through the day, until they become purple in the evening.’ [Don].
‘The timber of the Lagerstroemia regia, is remarkably solid and fit for building. It is chiefly used for the construction of skiffs and is sold at a high price. On the east coast of Sumatra, in the vicinity of Palembang, immense forests of this tree are found in many places. It is said that the seeds possess a narcotic principle.’ [van Nooten].
History at Camden Park
Listed in all published catalogues [T.621/1843].
Notes
Published Mar 05, 2010 - 03:00 PM | Last updated Mar 05, 2010 - 03:06 PM
Family | Lythraceae |
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Category | |
Region of origin | Tropical Asia |
Synonyms |
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Common Name | Giant crepe myrtle, Pride of India, Queen?s crepe myrtle |
Name in the Camden Park Record |
Lagerstroemia reginae |
Confidence level | high |