Crape Myrtle Varieties: Colors, Sizes & How to Choose

If you want months of color with almost no fuss, few trees beat the crape myrtle. These tough, sun-loving bloomers shrug off heat and drought and light up the garden from early summer right through to frost. With so many crape myrtle varieties to choose from — in every size and color — here is a guide to some of our favorites and how to pick the right one for your yard.

Tonto — Fuchsia-Red & Compact

Tonto Crape Myrtle is a semi-dwarf (8–15 ft) smothered in vivid fuchsia to magenta-red blooms from mid-summer to early fall. It is mildew-resistant and ideal for smaller yards, foundations, and tight spots where you still want big color.

Natchez — Classic White & Large

Natchez Crape Myrtle is one of the largest crapes (20–30 ft), with pure white flowers all summer and gorgeous cinnamon-colored peeling bark that gives you striking winter interest long after the blooms fade.

Tuscarora — Coral Pink

Tuscarora Crape Myrtle brings warm coral-pink blooms on a 15–20 ft tree. It thrives in sandy, loamy, or clay soil, tolerates drought, and is perfect for lining drives or framing a yard.

Red Rocket — True Red

Red Rocket Crape Myrtle delivers some of the truest red blooms you will find, in giant clusters on fast-growing wood, with excellent resistance to powdery mildew.

Muskogee — Light Lavender, Longest Bloom

Muskogee Crape Myrtle is a fast-growing 20–30 ft tree covered in soft lavender flowers for up to 120 days — one of the longest bloom seasons of any crape myrtle — followed by red-orange fall color.

Twilight — Deep Purple Drama

Twilight Crape Myrtle is one of the darkest purple crapes around, a bold 20–25 ft specimen with rich royal-purple panicles and fiery fall foliage.

How to Choose and Grow a Crape Myrtle

Choose by mature size first (a compact semi-dwarf like Tonto for tight spaces, or a full-size tree like Natchez or Muskogee for shade and screening), then pick your color. Every crape myrtle wants full sun, blooms on new wood, and is drought-tolerant once established — so prune lightly in late winter and skip the harsh “topping.” Always match the variety to your climate; you can confirm your area on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

Ready to add summer-long color? Browse every variety in our Trees and Flowering Plants collections. Every crape myrtle is hand-grown in Florida, ships free, and is backed by our 30-Day Happy Gardener Guarantee.