One of our loveliest flowering trees in Hawai'i gardens is the giant crape myrtle.

You will see these big-headed, lavender-flower trees all around, especially in cool upland areas. The flowers are gorgeous and the seed pods, which follow the flowers, can be used in dry arrangements and wreaths.

Mililani, Kahalu'u, Kane'ohe and Maunawili all have heavily flowering crape myrtle trees. Foster and Ho'omaluhia botanical gardens have some especially large specimens.

The giant crape myrtles are known scientifically as Lagerstroemia speciosa. Crape myrtles are in the lythraceae family along with henna, false heather and that lei maker's favorite, the cigar flower or pua kika. There are many other species of crape myrtle.

We have a special giant crape myrtle tree to share with you and you can see it as you drive by it on the Pali Highway. Or pull off the highway into the Nu'uanu Valley park, mauka of the Queen Emma Summer Palace. Watch for Country Club Road. At the stoplight, turn right into the park and you can "touch trees," as arborists like to say.

A ceremonial crape myrtle tree was planted for Hawai'i's great tree lady and scenery protector, Betty Crocker. She was a founding member of Scenic Hawaii, a nonprofit group which works to keep Hawai'i green and growing.

Happily, her large family and hundreds of friends gathered and planted the tree for her while she was still alive and well able to appreciate its beauty.

We planted a large specimen, and it struggled in the early years with drought and high winds, despite diligent watering by city horticulturists. Today the tree has achieved good growth and is flowering.

Growing and flowering heavily on the other side of the Pali highway, across from Betty's tree in the park, is L. indica, which can be a small tree or large shrub. This comes in several colors: lavender, pink and white.

They are also called the queen flower and kahili flower.

Heidi Bornhorst is a sustainable-landscape consultant. Submit questions to islandlife@honoluluadvertiser.com or Island Life, The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802. Letters may be published or distributed in print, electronic or other forms.