Is Crepe Myrtle A Hardwood

Trees with broad flat leaves as opposed to coniferous or needled trees.

Is crepe myrtle a hardwood.

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. I had never heard of this but i saved a few logs and figured i d give it a try. I lost a crepe myrtle in hurricane isaac. Crape myrtle is easily propagated from semi hardwood cuttings taken during the growing season.

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. Has anybody ever heard of burning crepe myrtle in a fireplace. How does it burn. 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.

Also gradually remove side branches up. Will it smoke or will it burn clean like a hardwood. The friend that helped me cut it up told me that it is ok to use it as firewood. 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.

On large shrubs and trees remove basal suckers twiggy growth crossing branches and branches growing toward the center of the plant. Deciduous perennial plants which are normally leafless for some time during the year. The various strains of the crepe myrtle produce a variety of beautiful flowers. This is related to lagerstroemia indica also known as the common crepe myrtle.

The tree itself has a very hard wood that can be used in craft applications. Wood hardness varies among the hardwood species and some are actually softer than some softwoods. It grows in warm climates like those in the south of europe and the united states. 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. It works well has decent hardness and a nice white appearance when harvested from the smaller varieties. The crepe myrtle is typically thought of as an ornamental shrub or small tree. Queen s crepe myrtle l.