I would first like to thank you all for your kind advice. We used what
you said about appearance, size, suitability for climate, and ease of
care. We chose an 8 -foot Lagerstroemia indica, or Crape Myrtle,
Tuscarora. The Crape Myrtle has more varieties than I have ever seen!
We chose the Tuscarora for the dramatic flower color (the books call it
watermelon), which blooms in late summer. It will remind my friends of
their father during the anniversary of his passing at the end of each
August. In addition, the Tuscarora has a vary dramatic leaf-change at
autumn. It looks as though the tree is ablaze! When well-pruned,
their vase-shapes and coloration make them both masculine and
beautiful.


Thanks again,


Ken