Crape myrtle - Crape myrtle

Japanese: サルスベリ - さるすべり

A deciduous tree of the Lythraceae family (APG classification: Lythraceae), 5-10 meters tall. Native to southern China, its Chinese name is Ziwei. The bark is reddish brown, smooth, thin and bald, with brownish-white cloud-like marks, and the twigs are glabrous and four-ridged. The leaves are opposite or alternate, in a phyllotaxy, obovate-elliptical, 3-6 cm long, and without sawtooth edges. From July to September, the panicles at the ends of the branches produce crimson-purple flowers with six petals, 3-4 cm across. There are also white-flowered Lagerstroemia japonica and pale purple-flowered Lagerstroemia japonica. The petals are round and crepe-wrinkled, with elongated claws at the base, and the calyx is hemispherical and six-lobed. There are many stamens, six of which and one pistil, which protrude long and curl up. The fruit is a spherical capsule about 7 mm in diameter.

The name "crape myrtle" comes from the fact that the bark is so smooth that even monkeys can slip off it, and it is also called "hyakujitsukou" (crape myrtle) because its red flowers bloom for a long time. In Japan, the name "crape myrtle" first appeared in Kaibara Ekiken's "Kafu" (1694) during the Edo period. The wild Japanese trees, including Himeshara, Natsutsubaki, and Ryobu, are also called "crape myrtle" because they have similar bark. A similar species, L. subcostata Koehne, is found from Yakushima to Okinawa and China. Where the bark has peeled off, the tree turns white, and white flowers, smaller than those of crape myrtle and measuring about 1 cm in diameter, bloom. It can be distinguished from crape myrtle because the twigs and inflorescences are hairy. Furthermore, those found on Yakushima, Tanegashima, and Amami Oshima are the Yakushima Lagerstroemia indica, a variety of the Striped Lagerstroemia indica.

[Yoshio Kobayashi August 20, 2020]

Cultivation

It is a sun-loving tree that grows quickly and can grow in any soil. It can withstand pruning and twig trimming, has strong sprouting power, and is not susceptible to many diseases or pests. It is propagated by seeds or cuttings. It is planted in gardens, parks, temples, etc., and is also used as a row of trees.

[Yoshio Kobayashi August 20, 2020]

[Reference items] | Lagerstroemia indicum | Camellia japonica |Siberian white holly | Cleofragonia

Crape myrtle
A deciduous tree native to southern China. Also known as the crepe myrtle, it is planted in temples, shrines, gardens, etc. ©Shogakukan Photo by Masatoshi Hirose ">

Crape myrtle

Crape myrtle flower
From July to September, crimson-purple, six-petaled flowers bloom in panicles at the ends of the branches. The petals are crepe-like, and the calyx is hemispherical and divided into six lobes. ©Shogakukan Photo by Okuyama Hisashi ">

Crape myrtle flower

Crape myrtle (tree shape)
©Junzo Fujishima ">

Crape myrtle (tree shape)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

ミソハギ科（APG分類：ミソハギ科）の落葉高木で高さ5～10メートル。中国南部原産で、中国名は紫薇。樹皮は赤褐色、滑らかで薄くはげ、跡が帯褐白色の雲紋状になり、小枝は無毛で4稜(りょう)がある。葉は対生または互生し、コクサギ形の葉序になり、倒卵状楕円(だえん)形、長さ3～6センチメートルで縁(へり)に鋸歯(きょし)がない。7～9月、枝先の円錐(えんすい)花序に紅紫色、径3～4センチメートルの6弁の花を開く。花が白色のシロサルスベリ、淡紫色のウスムラサキサルスベリもある。花弁は円く、縮緬皺(ちりめんじわ)があり、基部に細長いつめがあり、萼(がく)は半球形で6中裂する。雄しべは多数で、そのうちの6本と雌しべ1本が長く突き出て巻曲する。果実は球形、径約7ミリメートルの蒴果(さくか)である。

　サルスベリの名は樹皮が滑らかなのでサルも滑り落ちるとの意味であり、赤い花が長く咲き続けるのでヒャクジツコウ（百日紅）ともいわれる。日本には江戸時代に入っており、貝原益軒(かいばらえきけん)の『花譜』（元禄7＝1694）に初めて百日紅の名が出てくる。日本に野生するヒメシャラ、ナツツバキ、リョウブなども樹皮が似ているのでサルスベリとよばれる。類似種のシマサルスベリL. subcostata Koehneは屋久島(やくしま)から沖縄、および中国に分布する。樹皮のはげた跡が白くなり、サルスベリの花より小さい径約1センチメートルの白色花が開き、小枝と花序に毛があるのでサルスベリと区別できる。また、屋久島、種子島(たねがしま)、奄美(あまみ)大島産のものはシマサルスベリの変種のヤクシマサルスベリである。

［小林義雄　2020年8月20日］