I spotted this tree outside a small office building. No one working there knew what it was. I asked a few people going inside or coming back out, but of course no one 'knows trees'. (At least I know some.) I do see some clues, but I'm not connecting the dots.







Thanks for any help.

Crape myrtle?, can you have close up images of those seed head?

Do Crape Myrtles have seed heads? (I've never had a crape myrtle.) The bark does look a lot like a crape myrtle, plus they are common trees in this area. I was hoping that the solitary leaf in the 2nd picture might be a clue. I see in this 3rd picture some leaves that appear to have just blown by.


This is the only other picture that I took. It was nippy and I had an appointment inside the building. Not sure if I'd be able to get any closer, assuming that I go back to that building.

If you go there again, can you step farther back and take a picture of the entire tree?

It looks like Crepe Myrtle to me also, the peeling bark and bare wood on the branches tell the story.
And yes they make seeds too.

Crepe Myrtle

Ok. Crape Myrtle it is. It's nice to see one that hasn't had its head chopped off.

For those of you who are not familiar with Crape Myrtles, the 'off with their heads' reference has to do with a sad look the trees have when many homeowners literally cut the tops of their trees off.

I'll keep this open for a little while in case anyone has a competing suggestion.

@greene -- this was a very small parking lot bordering the entrance to a busy highway. If I backed up much more to get a better shot, I might not be having a merry Christmas.

Thanks all.