Is Crepe Myrtle A Hardwood

Crape myrtle is easily propagated from semi hardwood cuttings taken during the growing season.

Is crepe myrtle a hardwood.

The crepe myrtle is typically thought of as an ornamental shrub or small tree. Has anybody ever heard of burning crepe myrtle in a fireplace. The friend that helped me cut it up told me that it is ok to use it as firewood. How does it burn.

June july and august are excellent times to root cuttings. Take cuttings from new growth of the season leaving three to four nodes per cutting and several leaves. Crepe myrtle when i was a kid growing up in far north queensland we knew from kid to kid cultural knowledge that the very best wood to make shaghais out of surgical rubber sling shots were guava and crepe myrtle i still have mine it is a crepe myrtle corker with a tribal head whittled onto the main shaft. Deciduous perennial plants which are normally leafless for some time during the year.

This is related to lagerstroemia indica also known as the common crepe myrtle. Originally imported from asia in the eighteenth century it thrives in zones 7 to 9 but will grow as far north as boston. Will it smoke or will it burn clean like a hardwood. I had never heard of this but i saved a few logs and figured i d give it a try.

On large shrubs and trees remove basal suckers twiggy growth crossing branches and branches growing toward the center of the plant. Commonly known as crape myrtle or crepe myrtle is a genus of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the indian subcontinent and southeast asia. Crepe myrtle care all crepe myrtles bloom on new wood and should be pruned in winter or early spring. It works well has decent hardness and a nice white appearance when harvested from the smaller varieties.

With its large colorful bunches of flowers bursting from graceful branches crape myrtle is a favorite among gardeners in the southeast of the u s. Speciosa grows only in the tropical south. I lost a crepe myrtle in hurricane isaac. The common garden plant while not large enough to produce lumber can produce some very nice hard and stiff wood for canes walking sticks and small turnings.

Queen s crepe myrtle l. Wood hardness varies among the hardwood species and some are actually softer than some softwoods. Trees with broad flat leaves as opposed to coniferous or needled trees. Also gradually remove side branches up.