Small tree or large shrub with scaling bark that reveals the reddish-brown glabrous wood. Sessile leaves or shortly petiolated, elliptical or elongate, 2-7cm long, almost always pointed, dark green turning reddish-purple in autumn. Flowers: clustered in very dense terminal racemes, 10-20cm long. Requires fertile, loose, well drained soil. Tolerates pollution in town centres where it is often used as a street tree or planted in groups in parks. The Lagerstroemia can be included in all size gardens, either planted singly or in groups. Flowering occurs on current year’s wood and therefore it should be pruned hard but never before the second fortnight of February.