Delta Jazz Crape Myrtle

Light Needs

Part Sun to Full Sun

(5+ Hours Direct Sun)

Mature Height

8-12 Feet

Mature Spread

4-6 Feet

Growing Zones

7 to 10

Delta Jazz Crape Myrtle pairs bright pink summer flowers with deep burgundy-maroon foliage that holds its dark coloring through the heat of the growing season. Lagerstroemia hybrid ‘Chocolate Mocha’ develops into an upright, semi-dwarf shrub or small tree about 8 to 12 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. The dark leaves give sunny beds a substantial block of color even before flowering starts. Large flower clusters begin opening in early summer and can continue into early fall, followed later by reddish-purple to orange foliage before the leaves drop.

Part of the Delta series of dark-leaved crape myrtles, Delta Jazz has moderate to fast growth and good resistance to powdery mildew. It thrives through hot summers and becomes quite drought tolerant once a mature root system develops. The naturally upright framework can remain as a multi-stemmed shrub or be gradually trained into a small tree with exposed lower trunks. Use it as a specimen near a sunny patio, repeat several along a property boundary, or grow a row as an informal flowering screen where its narrow spread is useful.

Delta Jazz Crape Myrtle Care

Give Delta Jazz Crape Myrtle full sun, preferably six or more hours of direct light each day, for abundant flowering and deep foliage color. Clay, loam, sand, and silt are suitable when water drains freely from the root zone. Slightly acidic soil is preferred, with a pH around 5.0 to 6.5 ideally.

Water thoroughly after planting and maintain consistent moisture while new roots expand into the surrounding soil. Once established, allow the soil to dry moderately between waterings and provide additional irrigation during prolonged drought or extreme summer heat. Apply a slow-release tree and shrub fertilizer before new spring growth begins, using moderate rates because excessive nitrogen can favor foliage over flowers. A 2- to 3-inch mulch layer helps conserve soil moisture and limit weeds, but leave the trunk flare uncovered.

Prune in late winter while the branch structure is easy to see, removing dead, crossing, or poorly positioned stems and shortening only what is needed for shape. When training Delta Jazz into a small tree, remove lower branches gradually over several seasons rather than stripping the trunk in one pruning session. Avoid severe topping, since selective cuts preserve a more attractive framework and support better branching.

Delta Jazz Crape Myrtle Spacing

Space Delta Jazz Crape Myrtle about 4 to 5 feet apart on center for an informal hedge or screen, and 8 to 10 feet apart when growing individual specimens. For container culture, start with a sturdy pot at least 24 inches wide with unrestricted drainage. Move into a larger container as the root system develops and monitor moisture closely during summer. 

Delta Jazz Crape Myrtle Companion Plants

Bluebeard and yarrow make suitable landscape companions for hot, sunny sites, with both tolerating drier soil after establishment. These companions add lower flowers around the upright crape myrtle. Marigolds can fill the base of a large seasonal container, sharing the same preference for full sun, warmth, and freely draining soil.

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