crape myrtle

or crepe myrtle

noun

1. a tall Chinese shrub, Lagerstroemia indica, of the loosestrife family, having clusters of crinkled red, pink, purple, or white flowers, grown as an ornamental in the southern and western U.S.

crape myrtle

noun

1. an oriental lythraceous shrub, Lagerstroemia indica, cultivated in warm climates for its pink, red, or white flowers

Word History and Origins

Origin of crape myrtle¹

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50

Example Sentences

There are perilous weeks ahead for the millions of crape myrtles that have become the ornamental tree of choice in public and private landscapes across the land.

From Washington Post

That doesn’t help those with overgrown crape myrtles, however, unless they want to take the big step of removing them.

From Washington Post