ID help: fragrant crape myrtles?
 

I traveled to Sacramento recently with my mother to vist my uncle
(81 this year, and still taking care of his house and garden).

I was able to figure out that the white-, pink-, and rose-flowered
shrubs growing all over town were oleanders.

What's puzzling me are the shrubs/trees growing in huge planters
in front of the Train Museum in Old Sacramento. These were
limbed up quite high (to better to show off their attractive, mottled
bark, I presume), had somewhat glossy, elliptic leaves, pink flowers
clustered at the end of the branch, and seemed to be the only
possible source of a distinct, pleasant, flowery scent (which was
something like linden flowers or Cashmere Bouquet soap).

Based on the bark, especially, I thought they might be crape
myrtles. But fter Googling around, it seems that main opinion
is that scented crape myrtles are somewhat mythological.

No picks, sorry, and no detail description of the flowers and leaf
set. (Yes, my bad, but it was very hot and sunny, and, as I said,
these were set in huge planters and limbed up, so they were way
over my head. And no pictures, as I didn't have a camera.)

I must add, I am quite sensitive to odors, so it may have been
a fairly subtle scent. (Paper-white narcissus and privet flowers
are intense and unpleasant scents to me, and Bradford pears
flowers are so intensely stinky that I can't imagine why anyone
would plant them ANYWHERE.)

--
Pat in Plymouth MI ('someplace.net' is comcast)

After enlightenment, the laundry.

ID help: fragrant crape myrtles?
 

On 7/27/2008 5:03 AM, Pat Kiewicz wrote:
I traveled to Sacramento recently with my mother to vist my uncle
(81 this year, and still taking care of his house and garden).

I was able to figure out that the white-, pink-, and rose-flowered
shrubs growing all over town were oleanders.

What's puzzling me are the shrubs/trees growing in huge planters
in front of the Train Museum in Old Sacramento. These were
limbed up quite high (to better to show off their attractive, mottled
bark, I presume), had somewhat glossy, elliptic leaves, pink flowers
clustered at the end of the branch, and seemed to be the only
possible source of a distinct, pleasant, flowery scent (which was
something like linden flowers or Cashmere Bouquet soap).

Based on the bark, especially, I thought they might be crape
myrtles. But fter Googling around, it seems that main opinion
is that scented crape myrtles are somewhat mythological.

No picks, sorry, and no detail description of the flowers and leaf
set. (Yes, my bad, but it was very hot and sunny, and, as I said,
these were set in huge planters and limbed up, so they were way
over my head. And no pictures, as I didn't have a camera.)

I must add, I am quite sensitive to odors, so it may have been
a fairly subtle scent. (Paper-white narcissus and privet flowers
are intense and unpleasant scents to me, and Bradford pears
flowers are so intensely stinky that I can't imagine why anyone
would plant them ANYWHERE.)


The crepe myrtles just outside the Gardens of the World in Thousand Oaks
have white flowers with a very subtle perfume.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/

ID help: fragrant crape myrtles?
 

On Jul 27, 5:03 am, Pat Kiewicz wrote:
I traveled to Sacramento recently with my mother to vist my uncle
(81 this year, and still taking care of his house and garden).

I was able to figure out that the white-, pink-, and rose-flowered
shrubs growing all over town were oleanders.

What's puzzling me are the shrubs/trees growing in huge planters
in front of the Train Museum in Old Sacramento. These were
limbed up quite high (to better to show off their attractive, mottled
bark, I presume), had somewhat glossy, elliptic leaves, pink flowers
clustered at the end of the branch, and seemed to be the only
possible source of a distinct, pleasant, flowery scent (which was
something like linden flowers or Cashmere Bouquet soap).

Based on the bark, especially, I thought they might be crape
myrtles. But fter Googling around, it seems that main opinion
is that scented crape myrtles are somewhat mythological.

No picks, sorry, and no detail description of the flowers and leaf
set. (Yes, my bad, but it was very hot and sunny, and, as I said,
these were set in huge planters and limbed up, so they were way
over my head. And no pictures, as I didn't have a camera.)

I must add, I am quite sensitive to odors, so it may have been
a fairly subtle scent. (Paper-white narcissus and privet flowers
are intense and unpleasant scents to me, and Bradford pears
flowers are so intensely stinky that I can't imagine why anyone
would plant them ANYWHERE.)

--
Pat in Plymouth MI ('someplace.net' is comcast)

After enlightenment, the laundry.

Pat
If gas weren't so expensive I would just go down to the RR Museum and
see;
I haven't been there for a while.
However, why not have your uncle give them a call and ask them........
Or if they don't know, have him contact the Sacramento Bee news
garden editor and I'll bet she will be able to tell him/you.
Let us know the answer too!
Emilie
NorCal

ID help: fragrant crape myrtles?
 

David E. Ross said:


On 7/27/2008 5:03 AM, Pat Kiewicz wrote:

Based on the bark, especially, I thought they might be crape
myrtles. But fter Googling around, it seems that main opinion
is that scented crape myrtles are somewhat mythological.


The crepe myrtles just outside the Gardens of the World in Thousand
Oaks have white flowers with a very subtle perfume.

Well, it is is possible, then, that I've got these properly ID'ed.

As I said, I've got a pretty good nose for scents. There are genes
involved in the ability to smell various odors, and I've been told
that there are some odors that many people just can't smell.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI ('someplace.net' is comcast)

After enlightenment, the laundry.

ID help: fragrant crape myrtles?
 

mleblanca said:


On Jul 27, 5:03 am, Pat Kiewicz
wrote:
I traveled to Sacramento recently with my mother to vist my uncle
(81 this year, and still taking care of his house and garden).

I was able to figure out that the white-, pink-, and rose-flowered
shrubs growing all over town were oleanders.

What's puzzling me are the shrubs/trees growing in huge planters
in front of the Train Museum in Old Sacramento. These were
limbed up quite high (to better to show off their attractive,
mottled
bark, I presume), had somewhat glossy, elliptic leaves, pink
flowers
clustered at the end of the branch, and seemed to be the only
possible source of a distinct, pleasant, flowery scent (which was
something like linden flowers or Cashmere Bouquet soap).

Based on the bark, especially, I thought they might be crape
myrtles. But fter Googling around, it seems that main opinion
is that scented crape myrtles are somewhat mythological.

Pat
If gas weren't so expensive I would just go down to the RR Museum
and see;
I haven't been there for a while.
However, why not have your uncle give them a call and ask
them........
Or if they don't know, have him contact the Sacramento Bee news
garden editor and I'll bet she will be able to tell him/you.
Let us know the answer too!

My uncle, I think, I'll let be. But maybe (if I still have the urge
to know) I'll see if I can email someone myself.

It's not like I can grow crape myrtles here at home...just a bit
curious, is all.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI ('someplace.net' is comcast)

After enlightenment, the laundry.

ID help: fragrant crape myrtles?
 

Jangchub said:

Crape Myrtles have flower clusters at the ends of branches. I never
detected any fragrance and I have several on my property. They are
everywhere in TX.

Can't help there, but did you read Jack Kornfield's book" "After the
Enlightenment the Laundry?"

No. I took my quote from The Little Zen Companion.
--
Pat in Plymouth MI ('someplace.net' is comcast)

After enlightenment, the laundry.