Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Pers.

Queen's crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia speciosa) is a 10-30 meter tree of the Lythraceae family that grows naturally in teak forests across the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and Japan, in both barren and fertile soil. Besides serving as a roadside shade tree, in the Philippines its leaves have traditionally been brewed to help control diabetes and urinary tract disorders. Local communities also use it to relieve diarrhea and high blood pressure.

Queen's crepe myrtle is known as a shade tree for roads or yards. It grows up to an elevation of 800 m above sea level, with an annual temperature of 18-35°C and average rainfall of 2,000-3,500 mm/year. It favors full sun and moist soil with a pH between 5.5-6.5.

• Roots taproot.
• Trunk round, light brown. Its bark is thin and easily damaged.
• Leaves simple, short-stalked.
• Flowers compound, purplish-pink.
• Fruit round and elongated, 2-5 cm long.
• Seeds fairly large, flat, with a blackish-brown winged tip.

Propagated generatively (by seed) and vegetatively (by air layering). Good seedlings should be large and sturdy, with no damaged or defective parts. Seedling height should be at least 30-35 cm above the polybag surface. Planting hole size is 50 x 50 x 50 cm.
 

Flavonoids, saponins, tannins, corosolic acid, the ellagitannin lagerstroemin, gallotannins, steroids, terpenoids, anthraquinone glycosides, phenolic compounds, amino acids, alkaloids, essential oil (terpineol, pinene, myrcene, bisabolene).

Treats diarrhea, high blood pressure, kidney/bladder stones, diabetes, blood in urine, and eczema. 

Not yet available

Bungur kuwal, Bungur bener (Lampung), Bungur tekuyung (Palembang), Ketangi, Laban, Wungu (Central Java), Bhungor, Wungur (Madura).