They do thicken up pretty quickly in the ground here: usually the bigger the leaves, the faster they grow. They send lots of suckers, so keep them cut back if you want single-trunk trees. They tend to grow straight trunks, so add movement early, or grow them like trident maples with chop & grow techniques. They do heal over wounds but will also die back under wound sites at times, and can develop bulbous callusing at cuts. I’m not sure why or how to affect one outcome over another. Branches do tend to die back a little, and new growth replaces old directly from the trunk. This can be frustrating, so it might be best to style it in a broom or vase-like style so you’re not counting on individual primary branches to carry the design.
Depending on your climate, they could probably make it through winters in the ground if your ground doesn’t freeze. Otherwise, you might consider growing it in a flat on the ground and allowing the roots to escape while the trunk thickens up, and move it to protection for the coldest part of your winter. They do not thicken much in a pot.
Flowers develop at the end of new growth, and can be prolific, but you have to balance ramification with a flower show, challenging to have the best of both. Lighter flowers bloom earlier, and they progress throughout the summer. Our Natchez Whites are bigger, striking bark, white with flowers starting in May. The deep red and purple ones with smaller leaves bloom later in July-September.
We have had crape Myrtlesin our yard over the years, and I only have one that I am growing for bonsai. It’s been in and out of the ground over several moves. I’ve never been very happy with how it’s developing, but it is a volunteer from a deep purple variety from a park in MS so I’m keeping it going, and maybe one day it will be ready for a pot.
