Lagerstroemia Black Diamond Lavender Lace Crape Myrtle

Lagerstroemia Black Diamond Lavender Lace is a new deciduous crepe myrtle variety from the American Blacl Diamond series. It has stunning black foliage and rich purple flowers in summer. It’s an excellent choice for mass planting in a sheltered sunny garden or a specimin shrub in a warm courtyard. 

Crape myrtles are native to the warm regions of south-east Asia, northern Australia and the Indian subcontinent. In the 1700s crepe myrtles were collected for the famous botanist Carl Linnaeus by Swedish plant hunter Magnus von Lagerstrom whom they were named after.

Over hundreds of years new cultivars have appeared, but recently a new series was bred in America called the Black Diamond or Black Solitaire range. The range consists of several black foliaged lagerstroemias with different coloured frilly blooms. Lagerstroemia Lavender Lace is their purple cultivar and it’s an outstanding crepe myrtle.

Lagerstroemia Lavender Lace has black foliage that emerges on bare branches in early spring and holds its black shade until autumn when it turns rich purple and falls with the frost. To complement its foliage, lavender-coloured lacy blooms appear in summer, covering the shrub in abundance and really standing out against the dark foliage.

This is set to become a favourite with purple flower fans. 

Height And Spread of Lagerstroemia Black Diamond Lavender Lace
This a compact tidy shrub that reaches 2.5 metres in height and 1.5 metres in spread. It’s small enough to suit a well-watered and fed container.

How Hardy Is Lagerstroemia Black Diamond Lavender Lace
Despite the rumour that crepe myrtles are difficult, Lavender Lace is hardy in the UK if it has full sun, well-drained roots, and shelter from harsh winds. A south-facing spot against a fence or wall is perfect.

How To Use Lagerstroemia Black Diamond Lavender Lace
This is an excellent shrub for mass planting in informal flower beds and an eye-catching specimen for a courtyard because it isn’t common in the UK yet.
It suits Mediterranean or tropical-style gardens, country cottages, and because its black foliage is so modern, it fits an urban balcony or courtyard too. If you’re planting en-masse a swathe of purple is a real talking point, or you can mix it up with other crepe myrtles from the Black Diamond range such as Crimson Red and Pure White.

Crepe myrtles like mild weather so it’s a good sheltered coastal plant too, provided it is protected from harsh winds. 

How To Care For Lagerstroemia Black Diamond Lavender Lace
Crape Myrtle Lavender Lace needs a sunny spot and shelter from cold drying winds. It’s essential you avoid frost pockets because this is a warmth-loving shrub.
It will grow in the majority of well-drained soils including chalk and sand and pruning isn’t required. Trim back its tips in late winter or early spring if necessary and boost it with a thick layer of organic mulch in spring for a healthy flower display.