I've got two trees way close together in the yard... one, I think is crepe myrtle and the other I can't identify. What do you know, SF?

Crepe (I think):

Base


Flower


Unknown:
Base

Leaf and flower


It's a crummy picture, but the base (trunk) of the unknown one is very rough -- almost shaggy -- compared to the smooth bark on the crepe.

Looks like rose of Sharon.

quote:

Originally posted by Jrflyfish1:
Looks like rose of Sharon.

Yes, I would agree, I have a small white Rose of Sharon next to my house as well.

The 2 bottom photos are Rose of Sharon.

Yes, some are rose of Sharon. It's pretty much a weed. The other one, no clue, could be a crape myrtle, but they come in all colors and they can look very different.

I once dated a girl called "Creepy Mertle".
Oh, wait... wrong thread ..

quote:

Originally posted by Jrflyfish1:
Looks like rose of Sharon.

Three minutes from question to solid answer. This place is awesome.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
I once dated a girl called "Creepy Mertle".
Oh, wait... wrong thread ..

Too much information, sir!

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
It's pretty much a weed.

Perhaps that preempts the next question: how to take care of it? Both are overhanging my deck stairs, so there's definitely some trimming to be done. If this is basically a weed, then perhaps there's no real value in keeping it? (I'm cool with cutting/digging it out.)

The first is Orange Jessamine according to Google Lens

Crape Myrtle - top

Rose of Sharon - bottom

quote:

Originally posted by x0225095:
Crape Myrtle - top

Rose of Sharon - bottom

This is the correct identification. Each of these may be a particular cultivar with a more particular varietal name, but the basic ID is this.

Crape Myrtles are noble ornamental plants that deserve a place in almost every Southern planting.

Rose of Sharon can be pretty, but are usually a weed that is a poor substitute for almost any other flowering shrub. Once they are established, they are very hard to eradicate. They do have the advantage of being able to thrive in poor soils and otherwise difficult locations.

Just my opinion, I have both in my yard.

Yep the top one is a crape myrtle.

The National Arboretum in DC developed some of the early Crape Myrtles and give them Indian names.

https://usna.usda.gov/science/icra/lagerstroemia/a/

LAGERSTROEMIA
Lagerstroemia ‘Acoma’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Apalachee’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Arapaho’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Biloxi’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Caddo’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia indica ‘Catawba’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia indica ‘Cherokee’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Cheyenne’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Chickasaw’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Choctaw’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Comanche’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia indica ‘Conestoga’ (common crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Hopi’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia fauriei ‘Kiowa’ (Japanese crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Lipan’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Miami’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Muskogee’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Natchez’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Osage’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Pecos’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Pocomoke’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia indica ‘Potomac’ (common crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia indica ‘Powhatan’ (common crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia indica ‘Seminole’ (common crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Sioux’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Tonto’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Tuscarora’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Tuskegee’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Wichita’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Yuma’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)
Lagerstroemia ‘Zuni’ (hybrid crapemyrtle)

quote:

quote:
Originally posted by Skins2881:
It's pretty much a weed.


Perhaps that preempts the next question: how to take care of it? Both are overhanging my deck stairs, so there's definitely some trimming to be done. If this is basically a weed, then perhaps there's no real value in keeping it? (I'm cool with cutting/digging it out.)

They are prolific spreaders. I have two. Both are there to hide things like electrical meter. They need weeding below them and trimming every year or two. The other downside is they drop large flowers in your beds/lawn.

For me the value of keeping them is the cost of replacement plants. They do what I need them to do.

They're not weeds, they are beautiful landscape plants. If they are healthy they will give lots of pretty color.

I just purchased 1 new crepe myrtle, a new-ish variety with very dark leaves, and 1 new Rose Of Sharon (Althea), going to get them both planted in a few days.

I don't know where you live, or the climate there, but they should grow well almost anywhere, depending on variety.

Trim as required, they are vigorous plants.
.

The bottom one is a Rose of Sharon. My wife has them.

I'll show her the post and have her ID them, she's a green goddess with plants.

quote:

I once dated a girl called "Creepy Mertle".

Hey, let's not be joshing about my cousin Mertle!
(Just cause she occupies more than one branch of our family tree doesn't make her weird - well, then again.........)

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

quote:

quote:
Originally posted by Skins2881:
It's pretty much a weed.


Perhaps that preempts the next question: how to take care of it? Both are overhanging my deck stairs, so there's definitely some trimming to be done. If this is basically a weed, then perhaps there's no real value in keeping it? (I'm cool with cutting/digging it out.)

They are prolific spreaders. I have two. Both are there to hide things like electrical meter. They need weeding below them and trimming every year or two. The other downside is they drop large flowers in your beds/lawn.

For me the value of keeping them is the cost of replacement plants. They do what I need them to do.

This is the path if you want to avoid removing them. I have them in the yard (from the previous owner) and trimming the tops to include the seed bearing pods BEFORE they dry and open to spread seeds is key. They will develop blooms the following season which insects and hummingbirds like, so all you are doing is managing them. You won’t kill or harm them.

I'll try to get another pic this evening -- these two are very close together, in a fairly small spot. My next question will be about trimming and maintaining them in that space.

Thanks, all, for your help!

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
I once dated a girl called "Creepy Mertle".
Oh, wait... wrong thread ..

Probably just best not to go into detail about HER rough/shaggy base...

We have 10 Crepe Myrtle in our yard, 4 varieties, mixed colors. They get trimmed/pruned in late February.

We have one Rose of Sharon that we prune every other year.

Don't ask how many Knock-Out Roses we have.

How to trim Crepe Myrtles

How to prune Rose of Sharon