Crepe Myrtles

Crepe Myrtles are a favorite of Houston gardeners and public works. They are found in all sorts of places from personal yards to public parks to common open areas. The trees are favored because they grow quickly and produce lovely colored blossoms ranging from white to bright red. These beauties are often planted in the medians, which adds more to the landscape than just grass and a few annuals. If you ever have a chance to see a crepe myrtle up close, be sure to run your hand along the smooth bark. It has a very human feel, almost like a bone or a very fit leg. The bark has a habit of shedding, too, and comes off in all sorts of sizes and shapes. A clever crafts person could find an artistic use for the bark, I'm sure. When the blossoms start to fall, if you are lucky enough to be near a white-blooming crepe myrtle, you could easily imagine you are standing in a gently-falling snow.