When I was a child the first place I noticed Crape Myrtle trees growing was in the front yard of my grandparent’s home in Hampton, Virginia. At that time, several decades ago, there weren’t too many of these plants in the north. Times have sure changed, and now Crape Myrtle trees are everywhere…at least in New Jersey.

I love the beautiful pink blossoms, but even more than the flowers, I think it is the bark of a Crape Myrtle that is the tree’s most fascinating feature.

There is something almost magical in the way the bark peels away, leaving some areas a mottled green-grey and others a smooth and silken tan. I hope to always have a Crape Myrtle tree in my garden.