My Purple Cow

just.wing.it

Deadwood Head
Messages
12,141
Reaction score
17,546
Location
Just South of the Mason Dixon
USDA Zone
6B
I've had this Crape Myrtle for 4-5 months now. Just letting it grow for this year, it's called Purple Cow :confused:...I think it is a dwarf variety, but the leaves are normal size. I've seen other dwarfs that have smaller leaves, and look different.
Anyway, here are a few pics.
IMAG2242.jpg IMAG2244.jpg
IMAG2246.jpg
IMAG2252.jpg
IMAG2253.jpg
IMAG2254.jpg
I like the sub trunks, they remind me of large Japanese Maples that I see in some old yards around here.
I know it's a little slingshotty, especially in pics, but in person it not too bad, I swear.
I will cut it down big time in late winter and get it out of the nursery soil next spring. Since I won't be looking for blooms on it, I think I will be able to develop some good branching fast on this tree. It grows very fast.
You can see the 2 wounds in the 3rd pic, I cut those branches off the day I bought it, the top one is already completely rolled over, the lower one is about half healed.
Comments always welcome. :D
 

aml1014

Masterpiece
Messages
3,667
Reaction score
5,807
Location
Albuquerque new mexico
USDA Zone
7b
That is not a dwarf, maby a semi dwarf but definitely not a dwarf. This tree appears to have grown a few feet this year as most crapes do, dwarfs are only about 3ft tall full size! Great bones on that tree for sure though.

Aaron
 
Last edited:

just.wing.it

Deadwood Head
Messages
12,141
Reaction score
17,546
Location
Just South of the Mason Dixon
USDA Zone
6B
That is not a dwarf, maby a semi dwarf but definitely not a dwarf. This tree appears to have grown a few feet this year as most capes do, dwarfs are only about 3ft tall fuu size! Great bones on that tree for sure though.


Aaron
Hmm.... ten4 on that...
I also noticed that when I look up Purple Cow on an image search, most of them appear very dark compared to mine, the blooms that is...
Could be the ferts I guess...
And honestly, I have never seen a crape myrtle in person that has those very dark purple blooms.
I see white thru pinks, thru reds, and light purples.
 

AlainK

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
5,394
Reaction score
9,485
Location
Orléans, France, Europe
USDA Zone
9A
Nice house decoration.

There are some violet geraniums that would probably make it look even better when planted in the same pot.
 

just.wing.it

Deadwood Head
Messages
12,141
Reaction score
17,546
Location
Just South of the Mason Dixon
USDA Zone
6B
Why? I have crapes in development that always bloom, just gotta time pruning right.

Aaron
It seems like they need to put out 16" long shoots before making large bloom clusters.
It just seems to me that that would kill any design one may have...
 

aml1014

Masterpiece
Messages
3,667
Reaction score
5,807
Location
Albuquerque new mexico
USDA Zone
7b
Yes, but I think it will look better as an old live oak like you can see in Florida and other parts of the south.
It can look like that 90% of the grow season, then just a few weeks to bloom. The flowers and bark are the only reason I keep them around.

Aaron
 

vaibatron

Shohin
Messages
407
Reaction score
454
Location
Richmond, VA
USDA Zone
6
It seems like they need to put out 16" long shoots before making large bloom clusters.
It just seems to me that that would kill any design one may have...

This is not necessarily true.. Older more established landscape trees that have not been subjected to crape murder will send out their first flush of growth, put on 2 to 3 sets of leaves then begin forming flower buds.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    307.7 KB · Views: 39

just.wing.it

Deadwood Head
Messages
12,141
Reaction score
17,546
Location
Just South of the Mason Dixon
USDA Zone
6B
This is not necessarily true.. Older more established landscape trees that have not been subjected to crape murder will send out their first flush of growth, put on 2 to 3 sets of leaves then begin forming flower buds.
Interesting.
So I should work the branching back slowly over time then?
Because I was plotting a crape murder.
 

vaibatron

Shohin
Messages
407
Reaction score
454
Location
Richmond, VA
USDA Zone
6
I suspect in the perfect scenario, a containerized tree would need to be considerably pot bound to encourage tight internodes/small leaves and the minimal growth it takes to achieve this.
 

just.wing.it

Deadwood Head
Messages
12,141
Reaction score
17,546
Location
Just South of the Mason Dixon
USDA Zone
6B
I am trying to play it slow with this one, because its my first and only CM.
I've heard of people getting as many as 4 flushes of growth per season, with "proper pruning", whatever that is...
I'm wondering if I can do some trimming now to get the ball rolling...
 

vaibatron

Shohin
Messages
407
Reaction score
454
Location
Richmond, VA
USDA Zone
6
Interesting.
So I should work the branching back slowly over time then?
Because I was plotting a crape murder.

Considering the fact that the species develops tight ramification quickly and will send shoots out right at the chop sight, I say do it next spring if that is your design plan. No need to be shy with pruning on healthy crapes. Bonsai already takes long enough, we must oblige the advantageous characteristics of certain species to give us a little bit of that time back.

I was merely speculating on the possibility of enjoying them as flowering bonsai without the foot long extensions.
 
Top Bottom