Crepe Myrtle

The crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica L.) is a small tree with distinctive reddish-purple flowers belonging to the Lythraceae family. The genus name (Lagerstroemia) was given to the plant by Linnaeus in homage to his friend, a director of the Swedish East India Company, Magnus von Lageström. The specific epithet (indica) refers to the supposed country of origin of the species. Introduced into Europe from the East in the second half of the 1700s, the crepe myrtle was recorded in Italy in 1800. It was most likely introduced to the Lucca area from Malmaison and became quickly widespread. In 1828 it appeared in the Catalogue of Plants and Seeds Traded or For Sale at the Botanical Gardens of Lucca, suggesting that the plant had become common by that time.