Are these crape myrtle?

[elleng]

My neighbor/landlord pointed in their direction and said there are some but not blooming, maybe due to lack of sunlight on them.

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. Crepe myrtle, most likely, judging from the trunk shape and color, growth pattern of the trees,

They do seem to need sun.
All our trees/shrubs are in bloom right now.

Their bark reminds me of Madrona trees, which have a reddish/brownish peeling bark also.

[elleng]

2. Thanks, dixiegrrrrl

[Tuesday Afternoon]

3. crepe myrtle is already blooming down here. maybe these have not bloomed out yet because

you are further north

[elleng]

4. Many in the area (southern Maryland) have bloomed,

and maybe even further north, closer to DC. My neighbor, the landowner, thinks these may just need more sunlight.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

5. so then, you are sure they are crepe.

[elleng]

6. No, that's why I asked here.

My neighbor, who isn't here now, pointed in their direction yesterday and said there are some here (on his property,) that have not bloomed, so I looked at them more closely today.

[Major Nikon]

9. Different varitals bloom at different times of the year

Some bloom in the late spring to early summer and some bloom in late summer and early fall. Some have a relatively short blooming window of say 60 days or so while others may bloom for twice that long.

[Major Nikon]

7. It's hard to tell from the pictures, but I believe this may be lagerstroemia fauriei

Which is a Japanese variety of crape myrtle as opposed to the more common lagerstroemia indica.

Lagerstroemia fauriei grows in the Southern zones, is more tree like, and generally doesn't bloom as abundantly as does lagerstroemia indica which is why the latter is often preferred in the US. As with all crape myrtles, it will bloom best if selectively pruned in the winter or spring and appropriately fertilized prior to blooming, which will probably be in the mid to late summer.

If these were mine I would prune them into one or two strong trunks and just enjoy them as a stately tree with an attractive trunk. Since they are mature, they may never bloom all that much.

http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/database/documents/pdf/tree_fact_sheets/lagfaua.pdf

[elleng]

8. Thanks, Major Nikon.

As they're not mine, belong to my landlord who owns many acres around here (and has a house in which he resides 2-3 days a week,) I won't be doing any pruning, but I may study this and let him know.

Here's a fauriei , from google chrome.

http://www.learn2grow.com/plantdatabase/plants/DisplayImage.ashx?ImageID=91518&width=560

Another:

[Major Nikon]

10. My 2nd guess would be the hybrid crape myrtle, Natchez

Natchez is a hybrid between lagerstroemia faurei and lagerstroemia indica. That particular varital has been around for a very long time and is my favorite. I have two of them in my yard. One is about 30' tall or so and the other is not as big as I planted it just a couple of years back. Natchez always blooms white.

[elleng]

13. Found this. Maybe.

[NRaleighLiberal]

11. yes, I believe so - ours are fully blooming now. They bloom best in full sun....Japanese Beetles

ravage the buds.

[elleng]

12. Thanks. Looked again today.

NO buds at all. Will look for evidence of beetles.

Told my neighbor, the landowner, that I like them a lot, he agrees, and as there's an old/sickish looking tree on the property, which he will remove, MAYBE we'll have blooming myrtle some year!