Crepe Myrtle

Crepe Myrtle blooms in late summer
Crepe Myrtle blooms in late summer

Zones: 7 – 10

Height: 25′ to 30′

Width: 15′ to 25′

Light: Sun

The main reason that Crepe Myrtle is on my list for the best backyard trees is because they bloom late in the summer when most of the rest of my garden has wilted in the South Carolina summer heat.

As an added bonus, crepe myrtles are easy to grow (always a bonus in my book!) and they are deer-resistant plants.

Crepe Myrtle bark is multi-colored
Crepe Myrtle bark is multi-colored

They also have really interesting bark which makes them a good back drop for your garden even when they aren’t blooming. When I lived in  Florida, they used to call them “tourist trees” because the colored, peeling bark looked like skin that had been sunburned.