How hardy are crapemyrtles?

Lagerstroemia indica and hybrids within this species are hardy to USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 9 but are often killed to the ground in severe winters in Zone 7. Lagerstroemia fauriei is reliably hardy as far north as USDA Hardiness Zone 6. The USNA hybrids that have Lagerstroemia fauriei as a parent are hardier than Lagerstroemia indica cultivars, and develop into large specimens even in the colder parts of Zone 7. Varieties that have only Lagerstroemia indica parentage, such as the USNA hybrids Catawba, Conestoga, Potomac, Powhatan, Cherokee, and Seminole, are periodically cut back to the ground by severe winters. Even if a severe winter kills most of the top growth on your crapemyrtle, it is capable of growing back in a short time. Since they bloom on the new growth, the injured plants are able to produce flowers as well. In the coldest portions of their range, crapemyrtles probably wont be able to develop a main trunk and the beautiful exfoliating bark that they are known for. If you ...  more