{"product_id":"dynamite-crape-myrtle","title":"Dynamite Crape Myrtle","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eDynamite® arrives in the summer landscape like its name suggests — an explosion of cherry red that covers the canopy from mid-summer through early fall in panicles reaching 6 to 14 inches in length. What makes this cultivar genuinely remarkable is the color itself: a true, clear red that held no precedent in the crape myrtle world at the time of its introduction. Earlier red-flowered selections leaned toward watermelon, magenta, or murky rose, but Dynamite® delivers an honest stop-sign red that holds its saturation in full sun through the heat of summer. Flower buds open crimson and unfurl to cherry red in a sequence that keeps fresh color coming across the panicle over an extended bloom period. The ornamental story doesn't end with flowers — new growth emerges a rich crimson red in spring before gradually transitioning to dark glossy green through summer, and fall delivers a warm display of orange to red foliage before leaf drop reveals smooth, mottled bark in tones of tan and gray. The result is a tree with genuine four-season presence and a summer floral display that few deciduous trees can rival for sheer color output over such an extended window.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eDynamite® grows as a vigorous, upright deciduous tree reaching 15 to 20 feet or more in height with a spread of 10 to 15 feet in Zones 6–9, and has demonstrated cold hardiness to -5°F in field trials, making it one of the more cold-tolerant large-form crape myrtles available. It performs in full sun and adapts to a wide range of well-drained soils, showing excellent drought tolerance once established — a trait Whitcomb selected for deliberately by planting evaluation seedlings without supplemental irrigation in the Oklahoma field environment. Powdery mildew resistance is high, addressing the historic Achilles heel of \u003cem\u003eLagerstroemia indica\u003c\/em\u003e cultivars in humid climates. Because Dynamite® blooms on new wood, it responds well to late winter or early spring pruning to shape or size-control the plant, though it flowers most generously when not cut back hard — selective limbing up rather than topping produces the best combination of form and flower. As a specimen tree, street tree, or mass planting anchor, Dynamite® performs with equal distinction, and it can be trained to single or multi-stem form depending on the desired landscape effect.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"New Blooms Nursery","offers":[{"title":"1 gallon","offer_id":47648674447605,"sku":null,"price":22.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"2-3 ft.","offer_id":47648674480373,"sku":null,"price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"3 ft. (3 gal.)","offer_id":47648674513141,"sku":null,"price":42.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"4 ft. (3 gal.)","offer_id":47648674545909,"sku":null,"price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Sale","offer_id":47648674578677,"sku":null,"price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2081\/3263\/files\/dynamiteCrape1.jpg?v=1771961093","url":"https:\/\/www.newblooms.com\/products\/dynamite-crape-myrtle","provider":"New Blooms Nursery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}