Bellini® Raspberry Crape Myrtle

Light Needs

Full Sun

(At Least 6 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

3-4 Feet

Mature Spread

3-4 Feet

Growing Zones

5 to 9

Small plant, huge color. Bellini® Raspberry Crape Myrtle gives gardeners the summer color of a crape myrtle in a true shrub size. Its deep raspberry-pink flower clusters cover a dense 3–4 foot mound from midsummer into early fall, with green foliage that keeps the plant looking clean between bloom cycles. Scientifically known as Lagerstroemia indica 'Conlagras', this compact Bellini® selection was bred for early flowering, cold tolerance, and powdery mildew resistance. We recommend it for sunny foundation beds where a taller crape myrtle would block windows or overwhelm the planting.

This deciduous flowering shrub grows quickly once settled and handles heat, urban conditions, and periods of drought after the root system is established. Its naturally rounded form makes it useful as a low hedge or a patio container plant. The flowers attract pollinators, and the bark can add subtle winter interest after the leaves drop. Use it in repeated groups along a walkway, in a mixed shrub border, or as a compact blooming anchor near a porch or deck.

Bellini® Raspberry Crape Myrtle Care

Plant Bellini® Raspberry Crape Myrtle in full sun, with at least 6 hours of direct light each day for the strongest flowering. It grows in clay, loam, sandy, or silt soils as long as drainage is good, and it prefers moist but well-drained soil while establishing. Crape myrtles grow best in acidic to slightly acidic soil, about pH 5.0–6.5.

Water deeply and regularly during the first growing season until the roots are established. After that, water during long dry stretches when the soil is dry several inches down or the newest growth starts to flag in afternoon heat. Feed in early spring before new growth begins, and expect the shrub to go dormant after frost and leaf drop.

Remove spent flower clusters during the bloom season to encourage additional flowering. In late winter or early spring, lightly shape young plants by shortening long stems to build a denser rounded habit, but avoid severe cutting. Remove any suckers from the base as they appear so the shrub keeps its compact outline.

Bellini® Raspberry Crape Myrtle Spacing

Space Bellini® Raspberry Crape Myrtle 3 feet apart for a low hedge, or 5–6 feet apart when you want each shrub to stand on its own. For containers, use a pot at least 18 inches wide with drainage holes and a quality potting mix that does not stay soggy. In the landscape, pair it with butterfly bushes for a larger pollinator backdrop, Russian sage for silvery summer contrast, and sedum for late-season texture at the front. In containers, combine it with lantana and calibrachoa for heat-loving color around the base.

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