Black Diamond Crape Myrtle??

[DougB]

Here is a picture of a crape myrtle I picked up earlier this spring at a big box store. Two nice trunks but what caught my attention was the almost black foliage. Now with the beautiful and delicate blossoms it is quite a site. It is Black Diamond Best Red. Anyone have any experience with this variety or any of the other Black Diamond crape myrtles?

 

[jk_lewis]

Most any crape myrtle is a good bonsai candidate. This one will need a lot of growing before you do anything bonsai-ish to it, though you could start wiring (or pruning) trunks for movement. I would not let it bloom again for several years. Concentrate on bulking it up.

 

[Kodama16]

I love the black diamonds. There leaf is. Bit large but dose reduce down well. I also like the leaf shape. However they grow very slow compare to other crepe myrtle. I have about a dozen I'm working into bonsai right now.
What's great about the box store ones is there so small you can usually still pull the cutting apart. Most have 2-3 cuttings in them to make one plant. Sometime if you look long enought you can find some with 4-5.

 

[johng]

There is another cultivar called "tightwad" that is very similar to this...I believe it to be a patented variety. I like it very much because it is on the dwarf side. I don't seem to have any pics currently but the foliage comes out a very dark but intense red and then converts to muted version of that color as it matures....not black foliage but dark. Dark pink blooms. I have only seen it one nursery but others I have spoken to seem to be aware of tightwad so there must be more out there. The ones I have must be grown from cuttings as there is no graft.

John

 

[DougB]

Thanks guys. Jim I agree that there is not alot to do now, but time, water and fert will change that (if I live long enough) Kodama16 I would love to see some pics of your black diamonds and thanks for tip of separating. John I will keep an eye out for "tightwad".

Well must run have a couple of Bald Cypress calling my name. Off topic but John can I replant some young BC into a forest now?

 

[Poink88]

I saw some last weekend with the best red flowers I've seen and was tempted to buy but the foliage color actually did not appeal to me so I passed it up.

 

[Txhorticulture]

Got one too

I'm not a fan of crape myrtles just because they are really over planted here. But I thought this one was different enough so i bought one. Mine is in the ground and has been pretty vigorous so far.

I've never seen a large one though. Does anyone know what mature bark looks like on this cultivar?

 

[Poink88]

I'm not a fan of crape myrtles just because they are really over planted here.

Once you saw some awesome bonsai crape myrtle, your view will change fast. Actually, I believe they are under utilized as bonsai material.