Detail

`Crape-Myrtle has been selected for the September issue of botanical series. Since the time immemorable the Korean peoples love to plant this flower near their homes or temples. Its pretty and tender petals of flower still more soften the feelings of flower lovers. This flower is known for its beautiful and mysterious colour which starts with a peach-blossom like light red in the morning and gradually darkens until it becomes red towards the evening. It blooms for a hundred days in red and it is for this reason that the name was given as ``Baek-il-hong`` which means literally ``a hundred days red``. The cuticle of the plant is so glossy that even a monkey is said to slip off the tree. The plant belongs to the lythrus anceps or purple loosestrife family and is a leaves-falling, broad-leaved high tree. It grows 7 to 10 meters in height. There are also the flowers in white or red-purple depending upon the kind but the rose-pink is most popular. It blooms a flower at each end of branches during the season from August to October. The leaves are of oval or egg-shaped opposite leaves. The twigs are covered with fine furs. The fruits are in a globular form and ripen during the month of following October. The fruits are used for making an oil and its wood for handicraft. This flower is planted largely in Korea, China and Japan for ornamental purpose.`