Hardy, pet-safe and full of summer color, as long as you give it moderate water.
Get a Free Planting PlanYes, with the right expectations. Crape myrtle (also spelled crepe myrtle) is hardy well below Victor Valley lows, handles alkaline soil and is safe for pets, but WUCOLS rates it moderate water for the High Desert, so it needs regular summer drip. Plant it in full sun and pick a powdery mildew resistant variety.
Top photo: Photo: Loadmaster (David R. Tribble), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Tree · Lagerstroemia indica and hybrids · Also called Crepe Myrtle, Crape Myrtle, Crepe Myrtle Tree, Crape Myrtle Tree, Crapemyrtle, Lagerstroemia · Native to Asia
| Crape Myrtle at a glance in the High Desert | |
|---|---|
| Type and size at maturity | Deciduous multi-trunk tree or large shrub, 6 to 30 ft tall and wide depending on the variety [1] |
| Growth rate | Moderate [2] |
| Water once established | Moderate (WUCOLS IV, Region 5, High and Intermediate Desert). UF/IFAS rates its drought tolerance high. [3] |
| Sun | Full sun [1] |
| Cold hardiness | USDA zones 7A to 9A (UF/IFAS); NC State lists 6a to 9b. Zone 7a lows run 0 to 5F, so it is hardy for zone 8b. [2] |
| Soil | Clay, sand or loam, alkaline or acidic, as long as it drains [2] |
| Bloom | Pink, red, purple or white flower clusters, July through September [1] |
| Evergreen or deciduous | Deciduous, with gold, orange or red fall color and peeling bark [1] |
| Pets | Non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses (ASPCA, listed as both crape myrtle and crepe myrtle) [4] |
| Wildlife | Attracts pollinators and butterflies [1] |
| Rabbits and deer | NC State lists it as deer resistant. We found no rabbit rating. [1] |
| Where it fits | Small flowering tree or large shrub in full sun; keep it off light paving and parking, since flowers can stain walkways and car paint [1] |
People often ask whether crape myrtle can take a High Desert winter. The university numbers say it can. University of Florida IFAS Extension lists Lagerstroemia indica for USDA zones 7A through 9A, and NC State Extension lists zones 6a through 9b. Zone 7a has average extreme lows of 0 to 5F, and zone 6a goes down to about -10F.
The Victor Valley is zone 8b, with an average coldest night of 15 to 20F and records near 0F. That puts a standard crape myrtle comfortably inside its range here, with some margin for a record cold snap. It is deciduous, so there are no leaves to burn in a hard frost.
What the sources do not rate is wind or desert heat. General practice in the High Desert is to keep young trees watered through the March to June wind season so they do not dry out, and to stake a new tree loosely only if it leans. Cultivars vary a lot in size, from 6 ft shrubs to 30 ft trees (NC State), so check the tag for the specific variety.
UF/IFAS lists crape myrtle as tolerant of clay, sand, loam, alkaline and acidic soils, as long as they are well drained. NC State says it prefers moist, well-drained soil but tolerates occasionally dry soil once established. The alkaline, sandy soil in most Hesperia, Victorville and Apple Valley yards is workable. Caliche is not, if it traps water around the roots. Our High Desert soils guide explains how to find and break through it.
Plant in fall or in spring after the last frost. Victorville’s median last freeze is around March 18, and about 1 year in 10 it comes after April 12. Our frost dates and growing zones guide has the details.
This is where crape myrtle is not a true desert plant. WUCOLS IV rates it moderate for Region 5, the High and Intermediate Desert. UF/IFAS rates its drought tolerance high, which means it can ride out a missed watering, not that it thrives on rain alone. Victorville gets 5.57 inches of rain a year, so plan on drip.
UC IPM lists both water deficit and excess water among crape myrtle’s common problems, so aim for steady, deep water rather than frequent light sprinkles. Put it on a drip zone with other moderate-water plants, not with cactus and yucca. Our High Desert irrigation guide covers zone setup.
UF/IFAS says leaf spots are minor and need no treatment.
Both spellings are the same plant. Crepe myrtle gets more searches, and crape myrtle is the spelling used by NC State and UC IPM. The ASPCA lists it under both names and rates it non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses, Many trees are simply not on the ASPCA list either way. This one is, and it is rated safe.
In a High Desert yard it works best as a summer-flowering accent near a patio, set in a bed with other moderate-water plants on the same drip line. Keep it off light concrete and driveways because of flower stains. For a lower-water yard built around a rockscape, a native like desert willow gives summer flowers on less water. See our best drought-tolerant plants for the High Desert for more options.
Plant after the last frost. Watch new growth for powdery mildew and aphids (UC IPM, UF/IFAS).
Bloom season, July through September (NC State). Deep, regular drip water; WUCOLS rates it moderate.
Fall color. Taper water as temperatures drop. Fall is also a good time to plant.
Leafless. General practice is to prune lightly while dormant, removing crossing or dead branches rather than topping it. Water only in long dry spells.
Yes. It is hardy to zone 7A or colder according to UF/IFAS and NC State, well below Victor Valley lows. It needs moderate summer water.
UF/IFAS lists USDA zones 7A to 9A and NC State lists 6a to 9b. That covers lows of 0F or colder.
Yes. The ASPCA lists crape myrtle as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses.
Both. They are two spellings for the same plant, Lagerstroemia.
Fall, or spring after the last frost. Victorville’s median last freeze is around March 18.
We checked every number on this page against the public sources below. If a rule or date changes, the agency page is the final word.
Monarch designs and installs rockscape, drip irrigation and drought-tolerant plantings across the High Desert. We will check sun, wind and soil on your lot and tell you where a plant will do well and where it will struggle.
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