Lagerstroemia
Lagerstroemia (/ˌleɪɡərˈstriːmiə/),[1] commonly known as crape myrtle[2][3] (also spelled crepe myrtle or crêpe myrtle), is a genus of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, northern Australia, and other parts of Oceania, cultivated in warmer climates around the world. It is a member of the family Lythraceae, which is also known as the loosestrife family. The genus is named after Swedish merchant Magnus von Lagerström, a director of the Swedish East India Company, who supplied Carl Linnaeus with plants he collected. These flowering trees are beautifully colored and are often planted both privately and commercially as ornamentals.
For other plants called myrtle, see List of plants known as myrtle.Ecology[edit]
Lagerstroemia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera (moth and butterfly) species, including Endoclita malabaricus.
The leaves of L. parviflora are fed on by the Antheraea paphia moth, which produces the tassar silk, a form of wild silk of commercial importance in India.[4]
Crape myrtles are susceptible to several pests and diseases, most notably, fungus-caused powdery mildew,[5] and more recently, bark scale, caused by aphids leaving a black dark fungal infection in their wake.[6]
Same tree during fall
