Crape Myrtles in Western Oregon

摘要

In 1974, Ted Van Veen, owner of Van Veen Rhododendron Nursery in southeastern Portland, learned of the crape myrtle breeding program at the United States National Arboretum in Washington, DC. Intrigued by the prospect of new hybrids with superior coldhardiness and greater disease resistance than the Lagerstroemia indica selections then available. Van Veen hoped to test them in Portland, at what he then perceived was their limit of cold hardiness. In the following year, he received five new crape myrtles, unnamed and identified only by cultivar numbers, from the National Arboretum. He planted three at the front of his nursery and donated the other two to the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden nearby. The three trees at the nursery are still thriving and have grown into magnificent specimens, a testament to their adaptability and long-term performance in our climate.