About The Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney

Mission . . .

The mission of the Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney Board is to be an integral part of elevating the beauty and appeal of our great city to the highest levels by showcasing the premier flowering plant of the South throughout our community in a thoughtful and meaningful manner and by promoting McKinney Texas – America’s Crape Myrtle City!! We are a non-profit 501 (C) (3) organization.

History of The Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney . . .

The idea began in 1991. Scores of miles of divided streets were beginning to be opened up across a rapidly expanding McKinney.

Seeing how attractively Stonebridge Ranch had used crape myrtles in early plantings on Lake Forest Drive, horticulturist Neil Sperry wondered about the possibility of increasing the percentage of crape myrtles in the median plantings in McKinney and cataloging them by known varieties so that McKinney could showcase all the known varieties within its city limits.

Neil’s hope was that McKinney could become known as the city people would visit to see crape myrtles, much as they travel to Tyler to see azaleas. By featuring all the varieties, the plantings would allow side-by-side comparisons.

We had been told that nowhere was there that kind of complete collection of all the known varieties anywhere in the world. The medians seemed like the perfect place to showcase crape myrtles.

Looking back – in Neil’s words . . .

Horticulturist Neil Sperry had the original idea for the Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney, but he readily acknowledges that none of it would have happened without broad community support. Here are his notes on how it all evolved.