Crape Myrtle-Most Popular Landscaping Plants in My Neighborhood

 

The several varieties and colors of Crape Myrtles. They come either as a tree, shrubs or dwarf Plants. In Tagalog, crape myrtle is known as Banaba. It is not only planted as an ornamental but also for its medicinal( leaves) properties.

The Purple and Red Variety Across the Street from the House

The Light Pink Variety on my Next Door Neighbor to the East

My  Dark Red Crape Myrtle in my Front Yard

It is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant in tropical and subtropical areas. The leaves of the banabá and other parts are used widely in the Philippines, Taiwan, and Japan as a tea preparation. Banabá herb is one of the 69 herbal plants promoted by the Philippine Department of Health (DOH). In Vietnam the plant's young leaves are consumed as vegetables, and its old leaves and mature fruit are used in traditional medicine for reducing glucose in blood. The seeds have narcotic properties.
Crape myrtles are chiefly known for their colorful and long-lasting flowers, which occur in summer. Most species of Lagerstroemia have sinewy, fluted stems and branches with a mottled appearance that arises from having bark that sheds throughout the year. The leaves are opposite and simple, with entire margins, and vary from 5–20 cm (2–8 in). While all species are woody in nature, they can range in height from over 30 m (100 ft) to under 30 cm (1 ft); most, however, are small to medium, multiple-trunked trees and shrubs. The leaves of temperate species provide autumn color. Flowers are borne in summer and autumn in panicles of crinkled flowers with a crêpe-like texture. Colors vary from deep purple to red to white, with almost every shade in between. Although no blue-flowered varieties exist, the flowers trend toward the blue end of the spectrum with no orange or yellow except in stamens and pistils. The fruit is a capsule, green and succulent at first, then ripening to dark brown or black dryness. It splits along six or seven lines, producing teeth much like those of the calyx, and releases numerous, small, winged seeds. (Wikipedia) Meanwhile, enjoy this video from my favorite 2Cellos band(Hauser & Sulic)
Note: Some ornamentals popular in the Philippines are: Kalachoche (Plumeria), Gumamela (hibiscus) and Adelpa (Oleander). I have collections of these ornamentals at Chateau Du Mer, Boac, Marinduque, Philippines
Here's the latest photo of my baby ampalaya in my backyard here in California