Crape Myrtle Twilight – Lagerstroemia ‘Twilight’ (Deep Purple Flowering Tree, Live Plants)

Twilight Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia ‘Twilight’) brings some of the deepest, richest purple color you’ll find on any flowering tree. Massive panicles of true royal-purple, crepe-papery blooms cover this fast-growing deciduous tree from early summer all the way to frost — often 70 days or more of nonstop color. It’s a showpiece in every season: bronze new leaves deepen to glossy green, then turn brilliant yellow, orange, and burgundy in fall, while the smooth gray bark peels away to reveal striking pink-to-cinnamon trunks. The Twilight Crape Myrtle is a stunning specimen, group, or driveway-lining tree.

Why Grow a Twilight Crape Myrtle?

• Deep purple blooms – one of the darkest, richest purple crape myrtles, with huge flower clusters all summer.
• Months of color – blooms from early summer to frost, then puts on a fiery fall foliage show.
• Beautiful bark – exfoliating gray bark peels to reveal smooth pink-to-cinnamon trunks for year-round interest.
• Fast-growing & tough – quick to establish, then drought-, heat-, and pollution-tolerant and deer-resistant.
• Mildew-resistant & pet-friendly – a disease-resistant selection that’s also non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.

Looking for more flowering trees and color? Browse our Flowering Plants and Trees collections.

Plant Specifications at a Glance

• Botanical name: Lagerstroemia ‘Twilight’ (purple crape myrtle, crepe myrtle)
• Plant type: Fast-growing deciduous flowering tree (can be grown as a large multi-trunk shrub)
• Plant family: Lythraceae (the loosestrife family)
• Mature size: about 20–25 feet tall and 10–20 feet wide; easily kept smaller with pruning
• Flowers: Large, lightly fragrant, deep royal-purple panicles from early summer to frost
• Foliage & bark: Bronze new growth maturing to glossy green, then yellow/orange/burgundy fall color; showy exfoliating bark
• Notable traits: Fast-growing; drought-, heat-, and deer-tolerant; mildew-resistant; pet-safe
• Cold Hardiness Zones: 7–9

Twilight Crape Myrtle Care & Growing Guide

Crape myrtles are tough and rewarding — give them sun and they thrive. Follow these guidelines:

• Sunlight: Full sun is essential — the more sun it gets, the more abundant the bloom. Too much shade greatly reduces flowering.
• Water: Water regularly to establish a strong root system, then occasionally — it’s quite drought-tolerant once mature, with deeper watering during prolonged dry spells.
• Soil: Adaptable to most soils; prefers well-drained ground and good air circulation.
• Cold Hardiness Zone: 7–9.
• Pruning: It blooms on new wood, so prune lightly in late winter or early spring before growth begins. Avoid hard “topping” (so-called crape murder), which ruins the natural form; deadheading spent blooms can encourage a lighter second flush.

Ways to Use Twilight Crape Myrtle in the Landscape

• Specimen or accent tree for a bold summer focal point
• Group plantings and mixed borders
• Lining driveways, walks, and fences
• Street tree and urban plantings
• Large foundation plantings or grown as a multi-trunk shrub

It pairs beautifully with other crape myrtles for a long-blooming display. Gardeners often combine it with white Natchez Crape Myrtle, coral-pink Tuscarora Crape Myrtle, or red Red Rocket Crape Myrtle.

What You’ll Receive

These are live Twilight Crape Myrtle plants grown and shipped by Carlo’s Plant Farm. Plants are less than 12 inches tall when we ship them. The photos in this listing depict mature plants of the correct species so you can see how they will look as they grow and bloom. Choose your preferred plant bundle size using the options above.

Due to different state laws, we reserve the right to charge extra fees in order to comply with those laws if necessary.

Ordering, Shipping & Returns

Every order ships free and is insured against loss or damage in transit. For full details on how we pack and send your plants, processing and delivery times, and what to do in the rare case of a problem, please review our Shipping Policy and Terms & Conditions before purchasing. By placing an order you agree to those terms.

Twilight Crape Myrtle FAQ