Haven't seen any yet, but this is interesting.

[elleng]

The first Crepe Myrtles introduced to North America may have come through the port of Norfolk in Virginia or South Carolina in the 1700s. However, no one knows who brought the first specimens to the United States. They are typically in various kaleidoscope color schemes, flowering from summer to fall. Although native to China, the species name Indica indicates that the plant may have originated in the Indian subcontinent. When Europeans first encountered crape myrtle in India, they assumed it was native to that location.

Colorful and long-lasting flowers appear in summer, while branches and trunk display a mottled appearance from bark that sheds throughout the year. Most are small to medium, multiple-trunked trees and shrubs. Flowers flourish with a crêpe-like texture—varying colors of deep purple to red to white, with a variance of color in between.