The driveway at The Gateway Terrace apartments are lined with about twenty-eight  Queen’s Crepe Myrtle trees that bloom into a sky of purple from April to October and in the Fall their leaves turn to red and orange. Their bark can be used to make furniture and their flowers and/or leaves can be made into a herbal tea known to lower glucose levels and also know to aid in weight loss.

The tree is resistant to mildew, an important factor in South Florida, plus the added benefit of being salt tolerant. Though it comes in colors of red, pink and white ours are in purple except for a couple here and there. Don’t tell Mother Nature I said this but she did make a mistake in that the flowers have no aroma! From a distance they look like lilac trees so the first time I saw them I was disappointed in the lack of a smell.

It is native to Southern Asia but do very well in South Florida. It seems the blossoms come overnight and bring a life to Spring that is more than welcome. They do lose their leaves for a short period of time in Winter but there I new growth almost immediately. When they change color they also have small pods of seeds that smaller birds love to nibble on though they leave the blooms alone.

Right now they are in full bloom and look glorious!

SLIDESHOW

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51Yrwn5AYd4&feature=youtu.be