Eden

Penang Botanic Gardens Plant Collection

Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Pers. (LYTHRACEAE)

Posted at — Nov 13, 2019
Pride of India, Rose of India, Queen's Crepe Myrtle, Bungor

Description

Medium-sized deciduous tree to 25 m tall with dense rounded crown. Leaves 12-18 cm long, opposite, elliptic-oblong. Flowers 5-7 cm across, very showy, bright pink to purple, in branched clusters. Fruits 1.8-2.5 cm long, capsule, oval or about globose seated on calyx with 6 recurved lobes.

Ecology

Frequent in seasonally flooded areas along steams or on bases of limestone hills.

Distribution

India, Bangladesh, S China, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Sulawesi, Lesser Sunda Is., Moluccas, Philippines and W New Guinea.

Uses

Widely cultivated as an ornamental tree. Wood produces a high-quality timber.