Is Crepe Myrtle A Hardwood

I lost a crepe myrtle in hurricane isaac.

Is crepe myrtle a hardwood.

The various strains of the crepe myrtle produce a variety of beautiful flowers. June july and august are excellent times to root cuttings. It works well has decent hardness and a nice white appearance when harvested from the smaller varieties. Originally imported from asia in the eighteenth century it thrives in zones 7 to 9 but will grow as far north as boston.

The common garden plant while not large enough to produce lumber can produce some very nice hard and stiff wood for canes walking sticks and small turnings. Wood hardness varies among the hardwood species and some are actually softer than some softwoods. Commonly known as crape myrtle or crepe myrtle is a genus of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the indian subcontinent and southeast asia. The friend that helped me cut it up told me that it is ok to use it as firewood.

The crepe myrtle is typically thought of as an ornamental shrub or small tree. Speciosa grows only in the tropical south. Crape myrtle is easily propagated from semi hardwood cuttings taken during the growing season. How does it burn.

The tree itself has a very hard wood that can be used in craft applications. It grows in warm climates like those in the south of europe and the united states. Will it smoke or will it burn clean like a hardwood. Queen s crepe myrtle l.

This is related to lagerstroemia indica also known as the common crepe myrtle. Take cuttings from new growth of the season leaving three to four nodes per cutting and several leaves. Crepe myrtle when i was a kid growing up in far north queensland we knew from kid to kid cultural knowledge that the very best wood to make shaghais out of surgical rubber sling shots were guava and crepe myrtle i still have mine it is a crepe myrtle corker with a tribal head whittled onto the main shaft. On large shrubs and trees remove basal suckers twiggy growth crossing branches and branches growing toward the center of the plant.

Has anybody ever heard of burning crepe myrtle in a fireplace. Also gradually remove side branches up. Deciduous perennial plants which are normally leafless for some time during the year. Trees with broad flat leaves as opposed to coniferous or needled trees.