Tonto Crape Myrtle

{"key":"tonto","id":"PLT-LAGE-TONTO","slug":"tonto-crape-myrtle","name":"Tonto Crape Myrtle","botanical":"Lagerstroemia indica × fauriei ‘Tonto’","h":[5,10],"w":[5,8],"install":[4,3],"treeForm":"vase","color":"#839066","native":false,"type":"trees","categoryLabel":"Trees","reviewDate":"2026-09-08","guideKind":"Small flowering cultivar guide","eyebrow":"FUCHSIA-RED FLOWERS + A SMALLER FRAME","benefit":"Choose the flower color and the right amount of tree.","intro":"Tonto gives a smaller garden a vivid summer accent without the scale of a tall crape myrtle. Its fuchsia-red flowers sit above a rounded green crown and smooth branching. Repeat the color thoughtfully, or give one plant a clear focal position where its ordinary foliage and winter outline also fit the scene.","light":"Full sun","lightTags":["sun"],"water":"Well-drained soil; provide establishment water and review summer dry spells","season":"Fuchsia-red summer blooms · green leaves · bare sculptural stems in winter","care":"Keep the natural form; remove damaged or crossing branches without routine topping","caution":"This guide is for Tonto, a compact shrub or small tree form. A generic crape-myrtle label does not establish its size. Flowers and leaves are seasonal; keep expected litter and branch clearance in mind near paving and water.","site":"Use Tonto where a sunny Pensacola garden needs a modest flowering layer. Nursery form matters: a branching shrub and a trained small tree create different views at eye level. Start with the form that suits the layout so the planting does not depend on repeated severe cutting to stay usable.","sizeNote":"The diagram uses UF/IFAS’s Tonto range of 5–10 ft high and 5–8 ft wide. Monrovia lists about 8 ft high and wide. Age, nursery stock and site can change the result; verify the actual selection and allow clearance beyond the illustrated crown.","uses":["A compact summer-flowering accent","A sunny courtyard border","Color beside a generous lawn edge","A small-tree composition near a patio","A lower alternative to tall crape myrtles"],"checks":[["How much color does the space need?","Use the fuchsia-red display to draw attention to one view or a repeated rhythm. Leave quieter green planting around it so the flowers have room to read clearly."],["Is the plant a shrub or a trained tree?","Review the nursery specimen before purchase. Clear trunks expose the space below; a low branching form provides a fuller foreground. Both need their mature width."],["Does it fit without topping?","Choose the cultivar around the available space. Cutting a larger tree down every season creates a maintenance obligation that the original selection could have avoided."],["What will fall beneath it?","Place the crown with everyday cleanup in mind. Compare the view with the location of pool water, frequently used seating and the route people take through the garden."]],"faq":[["Is Tonto the same size as Natchez?","No. Tonto is a compact selection. Natchez and other crape myrtles can be much taller, so the cultivar name is part of the space decision."],["Should it be cut back hard every winter?","Routine topping is unnecessary. Preserve the natural branch structure and select the correct mature size; ask for qualified pruning help if the existing framework needs correction."],["What color are the flowers?","Tonto is commonly described as fuchsia-red. The illustrations show that seasonal character; lighting, the stage of a bloom and the actual plant can affect its appearance."]],"sources":[["UF/IFAS · Tonto cultivar dimensions and care","https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FP329"],["Monrovia · Tonto identity, color and nursery dimensions","https://www.monrovia.com/tonto-crape-myrtle.html"],["UF/IFAS · crape-myrtle selection and pruning","https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/ST/ST34200.pdf"]],"wholeCaption":"Illustrative compact Tonto with natural branching and seasonal flowers; a trained tree and a shrub-form plant look different.","detailCaption":"Illustrative fuchsia-red crape-myrtle flowers with small green leaves; cultivar identity remains essential.","aliases":["crape myrtle","crepe myrtle","crapemyrtle","Tonto","red","fuchsia","summer"],"goals":["color"],"images":{"context":{"id":"6aa0170d260c0e4a945f6b0e","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa0170d260c0e4a945f6b0e_landova-tree-tonto-context.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Tonto Crape Myrtle","width":1600,"height":900},"whole":{"id":"6aa017101aed9274d5fb17c2","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa017101aed9274d5fb17c2_landova-tree-tonto-whole.webp","alt":"Illustrative whole-plant form of Tonto Crape Myrtle","width":1254,"height":1254,"fit":"contain"},"detail":{"id":"6aa017107a630334b68ee6ec","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa017107a630334b68ee6ec_landova-tree-tonto-detail.webp","alt":"Illustrative foliage and seasonal detail of Tonto Crape Myrtle","width":1122,"height":1402}},"companions":[{"slug":"purple-pixie-loropetalum","name":"Purple Pixie Loropetalum","title":"Compare the lower foliage color","reason":"Purple Pixie adds a low, broad dark-foliage option in a compatible bed. Test the combination first so the red flowers and purple leaves do not compete.","image":{"id":"6a9f291974e53ce05046a866","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6a9f291974e53ce05046a866_landova-shrub-pixie-context.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Purple Pixie Loropetalum"}},{"slug":"big-blue-liriope","name":"Big Blue Liriope","title":"Give the foreground a quieter edge","reason":"Big Blue can provide a restrained green edge where light and moisture are suitable. Leave space between the mature tree crown and the border planting.","image":{"id":"6aa00228a713a3c64d2d24fb","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa00228a713a3c64d2d24fb_landova-grass-bigblue-context.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Big Blue Liriope","width":1600,"height":900}}]}