Lagerstroemia, Crape Myrtle, Crepe Myrtle 'Velma's Royal Delight'

Nice purple flowering shrub. During cold winters (below 0 F), it may dieback to the ground, but it recovers quickly and by August it is 3...Read More-4' tall and full of blooms. I usually cut it back to 12" anyway to keep it rounded and full.
Southeast PA (zone 6b-7a).

'Velma's Royal Delight' is slightly hardier than many other CM's, however it is still susceptible to winter damage to the top growth. In...Read More which case, it should be treated more like an herbaceous perennial in areas with typical zone 5 winters. Providing good drainage and planting in a protected spot may minimize winter damage and allow the plant to be grown as a deciduous shrub in zones 5 and 6, but also bear in mind even with protection, it will likely remain smaller than when grown in warmer zones.

Crape Myrtlers are among the latest plants to leaf out in the spring, so patience is required to avoid unnecessary pruning.

I understand that this variety was developed as a 'hardy' crepe myrtle.