Hopi Crape Myrtle for Sale - Buying & Growing Guide

Planting and Care

by Mary Van Keuren | Gardener (30+ Years Experience) – last update on October 26, 2022

Planting instructions

Site your Hopi Crape Myrtle in soil that drains well and receives at least six hours of sunlight each day. Unpot the shrub and tease out any encircling roots, which can girdle the tree and slowly kill it. Dig a hole that’s as deep as the root ball and twice as wide. Place the shrub in the hole, spreading out the roots. Holding it upright and steady, fill in around the roots with topsoil, tamping down as you go to eliminate air pockets. Water thoroughly. Apply a two to three-inch layer of organic compost such as bark chips around the root zone but keep it from touching the trunk to avoid problems with rot.

Watering and nutrients

For your shrub’s first growing season, water at least once a week, giving it an inch of water at a time. If the weather is very hot or dry, increase watering. After the first year, when the shrub is established, you can cut down on watering. If you’re not sure if your shrub needs water, dig down about two inches and see if the soil there is dry. If so, give your shrub a drink. Fertilize in early spring with a product that is higher in nitrogen, such as a 20-10-10 formula.

Pollination

Crape myrtles are self-fertile, which means a single shrub will have both male and female reproductive organs. These shrubs are attractive to pollinators such as bees and wasps; when pollinated, the shrub produces small brown seed pods.

Pruning

Monitor your shrub for dead, damaged or diseased branches and trim them out whenever you see them. In spring, you may prune to shape your shrub by cutting back the longer and thinner branches. Cut out all but the four to five sturdy trunks, unless you want to grow your crape myrtle as a small tree, in which case leave only the strongest trunk.

Pests and diseases

The Hopi Crape Myrtle is resistant to most diseases and pests. Pests that may occasionally appear on your crape myrtle include crape myrtle aphids and Japanese beetles. A healthy shrub shouldn’t be bothered by insect pressure. Diseases that are common to crape myrtles include powdery mildew and Cercospora leaf spot, but you are unlikely to see any signs of these on your Hopi.

Achieving maximum results

One way to achieve maximum results with your Hopi Crape Myrtle is to use it as a container planting. This allows you to place this lovely cultivar on a patio or deck or flanking a front entryway. It’s not difficult to grow your crape myrtle in a container. Choose a pot that is about twice the size of the root ball with large drainage holes in the bottom. Use a good-quality potting mix, and plant as per our directions above. Note that container-grown plants tend to need more frequent watering than those growing in the soil, and be sure you place your crape myrtle where it will get as much sun as possible.

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