What to Plant Under Crepe Myrtles

Plant low, shade-tolerant groundcovers and perennials beneath a crepe myrtle, and reserve compact shrubs for the brighter outer part of the bed; a companion shrub should mature at about 4 feet tall or less. The best choice depends less on the tree itself than on the light that reaches the ground after the canopy leafs out, the amount of exposed root competition, and whether your crape myrtle is trained as a tree or grows as a multi-stem shrub.

A successful planting looks layered: the tallest companions sit near the bed’s outer edge, while low plants soften the trunks without crowding them.

Why Planting Under Crepe Myrtles Can Be Tricky

Crape myrtles are full-sun plants that flower best with at least six hours of direct sunlight. But the ground under them often shifts from bright sun in winter and early spring to moving shade once foliage fills in.

Their roots also compete with anything planted nearby. A new plant may receive enough light but still struggle if it is placed where large surface roots leave little workable soil. Tree-form crape myrtles usually offer more open planting space below the canopy than dense, multi-stem shrub forms.

The best bed changes from sun-loving plants at the canopy edge to shade-tolerant plants nearer the trunks, rather than using one plant everywhere.

Keep the trunk base and visible root flare open. The goal is to create a planted skirt around the tree, not to bury its base in foliage, mulch, or crowded roots.

How to Plant Under a Crepe Myrtle Without Crowding It

Choose the planting layer that matches the light and root conditions under the crape myrtle:

What You Find Under the Tree	Best Planting Approach	Good Plant Types
Bright light reaches the outer canopy edge	Use a compact shrub or flowering perennial layer	Hydrangeas, reblooming azaleas, summersweet, petunias, marigolds
Dappled or part-day shade beneath raised trunks	Use low perennials with foliage interest	Perennial plumbago, hellebores, hostas, ferns
Dense shade or many surface roots	Use a simple groundcover or mulch instead of shrubs	Liriope, pachysandra, vinca, selected low groundcovers
Bright ground in late winter and early spring	Add bulbs among later-emerging perennials	Crocus, reticulated iris, squill

Step 1: Read the Light and Root Space

Look at the planting area after the crape myrtle has leafed out. Notice which sections receive direct sun, dappled light, or mostly shade.
Identify surface roots before digging. Work around them rather than cutting through substantial roots to make a planting hole.
Leave the immediate trunk base open.
Divide the bed mentally into zones: brighter outer edge, mixed-light middle, and shadier inner area.

This quick assessment prevents a common mistake: planting sun-loving annuals under an airy-looking tree in spring, then finding them shaded once summer foliage arrives.

Step 2: Match the Plant Layer to the Site

Put compact shrubs only in the brighter outer portion of the bed. Choose a shrub that matures at about 4 feet tall or less so it stays below the crape myrtle canopy instead of competing with it.
Use low perennials under raised branches, where they can soften bare trunks without hiding them.
Choose groundcovers for the most root-filled or shaded sections. They create a finished look without requiring large planting holes.
Use spring bulbs where the ground is sunny before the crape myrtle leafs out. Their foliage can fade as the summer perennials fill in.

Do not try to force every area into the same planting scheme. A small shrub planting plus a groundcover drift near the trunks usually looks better and is easier to maintain than a packed mixed bed.

Step 3: Plant Without Damaging the Tree

Set pots on the ground first and adjust the arrangement before digging. Grouping several of one kind of plant usually looks more intentional than scattering single plants around each trunk.
Dig each planting hole no deeper than the root ball. If you encounter a major tree root, shift the plant rather than severing the root.
Set each plant at the same soil level it had in its nursery container, then backfill with the soil removed from the hole.
Water the new plantings thoroughly to settle soil around their roots.
Cover bare soil with mulch.

Best Shrubs to Plant Under Crepe Myrtles

Shrubs work best under crape myrtles with higher branches and open lower trunks. Choose compact cultivars rather than the largest version of a species.

Bigleaf Hydrangea

Bigleaf hydrangea can provide broad leaves and summer flowers beneath an open crape myrtle canopy. It is most useful where the area receives some protection from intense afternoon sun and where you can give the bed consistent care during dry periods.

Look for a compact selection rather than a large, arching hydrangea. Its foliage makes a good contrast with the smaller leaves and branching structure of crape myrtle.

Summersweet

Summersweet is a useful option when you want summer fragrance and flower spikes to accompany the crape myrtle bloom season. It has a looser, more natural look than formal shrubs, so it suits cottage-style and pollinator-oriented beds.

Use a compact selection and place it where it will not be swallowed by the crape myrtle’s lower branches.

Reblooming Azaleas

Reblooming azaleas can extend the flowering season around a crape myrtle, especially in a bed that gets gentle morning light and later shade. Their evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage can also give the bed structure after crape myrtle leaves fall.

Select an azalea cultivar with a naturally low, spreading habit. Tall azaleas eventually create a second canopy, which defeats the purpose of underplanting.

Gold Mound Spirea

Spirea may be an option under a crape myrtle. Its golden foliage is strongest with substantial sun, so place it near the canopy edge rather than in deep shade directly below the branches.

It makes a useful color contrast with dark-leaved crape myrtle varieties. If the foliage becomes sparse or turns dull green, move it to a sunnier location.

Best Flowers and Groundcovers Under Crepe Myrtles

Perennials and groundcovers are often easier than shrubs because they need less root space and can fit among the tree’s roots.

For Part Shade Beneath Raised Branches

Perennial plumbago, also called leadwort, is a strong choice for the shifting light under a small crape myrtle. It stays low, spreads gradually, and produces blue flowers during summer.

Hellebores, hostas, and ferns are better choices where the ground stays mostly shaded. Use them for foliage texture rather than expecting nonstop bloom in a low-light bed.

For Sunny Outer Edges

Use sun-loving annuals and flowering perennials only where the tree canopy does not shade them heavily. Petunias, marigolds, zinnias, and creeping phlox can brighten the bed’s outer edge, but they are poor choices for the darker center beneath a leafy canopy.

Impatiens are better suited to shadier sections, especially when you want seasonal color beneath branches that filter the sun.

For Early-Season Color

Crape myrtles leaf out later than many spring-flowering bulbs. That gives bulbs such as crocus, reticulated iris, and squill time to bloom in the sun before the canopy fills in.

Plant bulbs among later-emerging perennials or groundcovers so the bed has interest before summer plants take over.

Planting Under Tree-Form and Shrub-Form Crape Myrtles

A crape myrtle trained as a standard, or tree form, has visible trunks and elevated branches. It is usually the easiest type to underplant because more light reaches the ground and the exposed trunks create a natural backdrop for low foliage.

Use low perennials, bulbs, or a compact shrub layer to complement the exposed trunks. Ferns and groundcovers can also soften the base without concealing the trunk structure.

A multi-stem crape myrtle shrub is different. Its stems often branch close to the ground, casting more shade and leaving less room for companion shrubs. In that setting, use simple groundcovers, bulbs, or a wide mulch bed rather than trying to add another large shrub directly beneath it.

If you prefer the clean look of exposed trunks, remove unwanted basal shoots as they appear. Cut each shoot off close to the point where it emerges, without tearing bark or cutting into the main trunk.

When a Mulched Bed Is Better Than More Plants

Not every crape myrtle needs underplanting. A clean mulch bed is often the better choice when the tree has heavy surface roots, dense shade, or a narrow planting strip.

Choose mulch alone when:

The trunk base is already crowded by roots.
The site is dry enough that new plants would need frequent attention.
A lawn mower or string trimmer would be difficult to use safely around a crowded bed.
The crape myrtle is young and still establishing its root system.

Mulch can frame the tree, suppress weeds, and reduce mowing around the trunks without adding more competition. Refresh it as it breaks down.

Check the Bed Through the Season

A good underplanting should make the tree look intentional without making either the tree or companion plants look crowded.

Check for these signs:

Shrubs stay below the lower canopy instead of pressing into branches.
Groundcovers fill bare soil without climbing trunks.
Plants in the sunny edge remain full and flowering.
Shade plants do not scorch or wilt during the hottest part of the day.
Fallen leaves are not matting over small plants and smothering them.

If a plant declines after the canopy fills in, it is usually better to move it to a brighter or shadier part of the yard than to keep trying to make it fit. Adjusting the plant to the site protects the crape myrtle’s roots and creates a lower-maintenance bed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best shrub to plant around a crepe myrtle?

The best shrub is a compact cultivar that matures at about 4 feet tall or less and tolerates some shade. Bigleaf hydrangea, summersweet, and reblooming azaleas are good possibilities beneath an open, raised canopy. Put shrubs toward the brighter outer edge rather than directly against the trunks.

Can I plant Gold Mound under a crepe myrtle?

Gold Mound spirea may be an option under a crape myrtle. It is not a good choice for deep shade because its golden foliage and compact growth are strongest in sun. Use shade-tolerant perennials or groundcovers closer to the trunks.

Can you plant monkey grass under crepe myrtles?

Yes. Monkey grass, commonly sold as liriope, is a practical choice for shaded or root-filled areas beneath crape myrtles. Plant it as a repeating border or drift, but leave the trunk base open so the tree does not look buried.

What should I plant under a crepe myrtle standard?

Plant low perennials, groundcovers, and spring bulbs beneath a crape myrtle standard. Perennial plumbago, ferns, hellebores, hostas, liriope, crocus, and squill all suit the open space below raised trunks, depending on available light.

How do I stop growth at the bottom of a crepe myrtle?

Remove unwanted suckers and basal shoots where they emerge from the base of the plant. Do this carefully with clean hand pruners, keeping your cuts close to the shoot’s origin without cutting into the main trunk or crown. Continue removing new shoots as they appear if you want to maintain a tree form.

Are there crepe myrtle bushes, and how can you tell one from a tree?

Yes, crepe myrtles are available in bushy shrub forms. Shrub types usually produce several stems from the base, while standard tree forms grow on a single trunk.