Lagerstroemia duperreana (Crape Myrtle)

Native to Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, this deciduous tree can reach about seventy-five feet tall. Smooth, light brown to gray bark peels away in broad patches, exposing fresh bark beneath. Oval leaves grow in pairs along the branches. Pink to pale purple flowers have long, narrow petal bases supporting broad upper blades. Dry brown capsules split open to release small winged seeds. In its native semi-evergreen forests, the species may form part of the canopy and sheds its foliage during the dry season. Photographed in Florida.