White Crape Myrtle Varieties: Find Your Perfect Tree in Minutes

Looking for a tree that looks stunning all year long?

Want something easy to care for?

White crape myrtle varieties might be exactly what you need.

These beautiful trees bloom for months with pure white flowers. They turn bright colors in fall. Their bark looks amazing in winter.

Best of all, they need very little work once planted.

But here’s the problem: picking the wrong size causes big headaches later. Plant a tall tree in a small space, and you’ll face years of hard pruning.

The good news? 

This guide shows you exactly which variety fits your yard. 

You’ll learn about sizes, care needs, and how to avoid common mistakes. Let’s find your perfect white crape myrtle.

Quick Size Comparison: Find Your Perfect Fit

Here’s a helpful chart showing all the varieties:

Dwarf White Crape Myrtles (3-6 feet)

Semi-Dwarf or Intermediate White Crape Myrtles (6-12 feet)

Medium White Crape Myrtles (12-20 feet)

Tall White Crape Myrtles (20+ feet)

Why White Crape Myrtles Make Your Yard Stand Out

White crape myrtles give you something special in every season. 

Their flowers bloom from mid-summer through fall, that’s up to 110 days of beautiful white blooms.

The flowers look like crinkled crepe paper in big clusters. Some reach 18 inches long.

Hummingbirds and butterflies love them, filling your yard with life all summer. Fall brings bright orange and red leaves.

In winter, this colorful bark stands out when other plants look bare.

These trees need little care. 

Once settled in, they handle drought well. They grow in many soil types. 

Pests and diseases rarely bother them. Give them full sun and minimal pruning, and they reward you with years of beauty.

Match the Right Size to Your Space

Planting crepe myrtle trees starts with understanding sizes. 

These trees range from tiny 3-foot shrubs to towering 30-foot specimens. So picking the right size matters more than anything else.

Measure your planting area carefully. 

Trees grow wider as they grow taller. Most varieties spread about two-thirds as wide as they are tall.

Consider your needs. 

Small accent plants call for dwarf varieties. Shade lovers should go with tall varieties. Privacy screens work best with medium varieties.

Most white varieties grow well in zones 6-10. 

Some hardy types survive in zone 5 (USDA hardiness zones indicate the coldest temperatures plants can survive). 

Sun exposure is crucial as these trees need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. More sun means more flowers.

Look for types with excellent mildew resistance. These stay healthy with less effort.

Small Spaces? Try Dwarf White Crape Myrtles

Dwarf varieties grow just 3-6 feet tall. 

They fit perfectly in small yards, containers, and garden borders. Don’t let their size fool you; they produce loads of white flowers.

Petite Snow stands out as a top choice. 

This compact beauty grows 3-5 feet tall with an upright shape. Its snow-white flowers look frilly and full. In the fall, the leaves turn bright yellow.

The best part about Petite Snow is that it fights off mildew perfectly. 

Developed in 1962, it’s proven itself over decades. Use it along walkways, in raised beds, or even in large pots on your patio.

Dwarf varieties require the same amount of sun as larger types. They just take up less room doing it.

Medium-Sized Yards Love Semi-Dwarf Varieties

Semi-dwarf varieties of crape myrtle reach 6-12 feet tall. 

They bridge the gap between tiny and large. These trees add presence without overwhelming your yard.

Acoma creates a stunning centerpiece for your yard.

It grows 8-10 feet tall with graceful, weeping branches. 

Pure snow-white flowers cascade down like a waterfall. Fall brings gorgeous yellow, gold, and orange leaves.

This variety shows off light gray-brown bark that peels beautifully. 

Its disease resistance is excellent. Garden designers love using Acoma as a specimen tree where its unique shape really shows.

White Chocolate offers something different. 

Growing 5-10 feet tall, it stands upright with a spreading form. Large white flower clusters pop against its unique foliage.

What makes White Chocolate special is that its new leaves emerge burgundy in spring, then turn bronze-green. 

This dark foliage makes the pure white flowers look even brighter. It works great as a hedge or screen.

Black Diamond Pure White reaches 10-12 feet with an upright shape. 

Its dark leaves create a dramatic contrast with bright white flowers. This variety handles urban conditions well, making it perfect for city gardens.

All these semi-dwarf types resist mildew excellently. They require minimal care while maintaining a fantastic appearance.

Medium Trees Create Perfect Focal Points

Medium white crape myrtles grow 12-20 feet tall. 

They make substantial additions to your landscape. These trees provide real shade while staying manageable.

Sarah’s Favorite White grows 20-25 feet tall with a beautiful vase shape. 

Its flower clusters reach over 18 inches long, the biggest of any variety. 

Imagine huge bunches of white flowers covering your tree all summer.

This variety grows fast, too. 

Expect 3-5 feet of growth each year when young. The bark shows beautiful gray-white-beige colors as it peels. Fall foliage turns yellow and gold.

Kiowa takes a different approach. 

Though listed at 6-8 feet, some sources show it reaching medium size. 

It produces delicate white flowers in smaller, more petite clusters. The form stays bushy and upright when young, then develops a weeping shape with age.

Kiowa’s bark peels to show light red, brown, and gray colors. It makes excellent hedges thanks to its dense growth. Fall colors include red, orange, and yellow.

These medium varieties give you a substantial presence. They work beautifully as yard centerpieces or shade providers.

Tall Varieties Make a Bold Statement

Top crape myrtle varieties for large spaces reach 20-30 feet or more. 

These magnificent trees create dramatic focal points and provide serious shade while showcasing exceptional beauty.

Natchez stands as the industry standard white crape myrtle. 

Growing 20-30 feet tall with multiple trunks, it forms a beautiful vase shape. Pure white flower clusters measure 6-18 inches long.

Natchez dominates blooms for over 110 days. 

Its dark cinnamon-red bark peels dramatically, looking stunning all winter. It grows fast, resists disease perfectly, and thrives almost everywhere.

Fantasy reaches over 25 feet tall with a stately, upright form. 

Pure white flowers cover this towering beauty. It blooms less heavily than Natchez but makes up for it with impressive height. Fall foliage turns red-orange.

Glendora White grows 20-25 feet with an upright, rounded shape. 

Long-lasting white blooms combine with excellent mildew resistance. The fall foliage turns brilliant golden yellow—truly eye-catching.

A townhouse can reach 25-40 feet with an umbrella-shaped canopy. 

It produces fragrant, small white flowers, while fall brings gold, orange, and yellow leaves. This variety uses Lagerstroemia fauriei genetics, giving it superior cold hardiness.

When to Buy and Plant Your Tree

Timing matters when buying crape myrtles. 

The right planting time depends on your climate zone.

In zones 8-10, you can plant any time of year. Fall works great in these warm areas. 

For zones 6-7, wait until spring after the last frost. 

This gives trees time to grow strong roots before winter. Zones 5 and colder do best with early summer planting.

When shopping, read plant tags carefully. 

Check the variety name, size, and color. Make sure you’re getting what you want. 

Avoid buying trees covered in blooms during hot summer days. The stress of transplanting in the heat can hurt them.

Instead, shop in spring or fall when conditions are mild. 

Look for plants with healthy, well-developed roots. These establish faster and grow stronger than bare-root options.

Stop Crape Murder Before It Starts

“Crape murder” describes the terrible practice of cutting crape myrtles down to ugly stubs. 

People typically hack main trunks back to 4-12 feet high each year.

Why do people do this? 

Usually, because they planted a too-large variety in a small space, the tree grows too big, so they cut it way back.

This “solution” creates serious problems. The harsh cuts produce weak, spindly shoots. These weak branches can’t support heavy flowers properly. Bloom droop and often break off.

Even worse, heavy pruning prevents the development of beautiful bark. 

The tree never shows its winter beauty. After years of cutting in the same spots, ugly knots form. These weak spots make the tree structurally unsound.

The real solution? 

Choose the right-sized variety from the start. Let your tree grow naturally with its beautiful shape. Light pruning to remove damaged branches is fine. Just never cut main scaffold branches.

Already have a murdered tree? Recovery takes time.

Use light, corrective pruning over several years. Never try to fix severe damage in one season.

Your Perfect White Crape Myrtle Awaits

White crape myrtles deliver year-round beauty with minimal effort. They bloom for months, blaze with fall colors, and showcase striking winter bark.

The key to success? Choose the right variety for your space, give it full sun, and avoid improper pruning. Do these three things, and you’ll enjoy decades of gorgeous blooms and brilliant colors.

Match the mature size to your space—dwarf varieties for small areas, semi-dwarfs for medium yards, and tall specimens for large landscapes.

Plant your white crape myrtle correctly once, and it rewards you with beauty every single day for years to come—now that’s a smart investment in your landscape.

Your Questions Answered

How many types of crape myrtle exist?

About 50-80 different species and varieties are available, mostly hybrids of Indian and Japanese crape myrtle.

Which white crape myrtle is most popular?

Natchez is the industry standard for its pure white flowers, disease resistance, and stunning bark.

What’s the most beautiful variety?

Natchez ranks highest for massive blooms and peeling bark, though Acoma offers weeping forms, and Sarah’s Favorite White has the biggest clusters.

How tall do white crape myrtles grow?

Heights range from 3-30 feet, depending on variety—dwarf (3-6 ft), intermediate (6-12 ft), medium (12-20 ft), and tall (20-30 ft).

What diseases affect crape myrtles?

Powdery mildew is most common, while cercospora leaf spot, anthracnose, and root rot occasionally occur in humid or poorly drained conditions.

Can crape myrtle roots damage pipes?

No, their shallow roots stay in the top 12-18 inches of soil and spread horizontally without threatening pipes or foundations.

When do these trees bloom?

Blooming starts in mid-summer (July) and continues through early fall for 90-120 days with full sun exposure.

What do the flowers look like?

White crape myrtle flowers have crinkled, crepe-paper-like petals in 6-18 inch clusters that attract hummingbirds and butterflies.