Lagerstroemia speciosa (giant crepe-myrtle, Queen's crepe-myrtle, banabá plant, or pride of India, or "Queen's Flower" or "Jarul") is a species of Lagerstroemia native to tropical southern Asia. It is a deciduous tree with bright pink to light purple flowers. The name "Queen's Flower" is derived from the specific epithet 'reginae' or 'flosreginae', which means "imperial or flower of the queen". The tree bears beautiful attractive flowers in profusion in purple, lilac or pinkish-violet colours, and lasts for many months. Its timber is next only to teak in its strength. It is called Queen Crape myrtle as its flowers look like delicate crape paper. Etymology The genus Lagerstroemia was first described by Carl Linnaeus. The name Lagerstroemia recognizes Magnus von Lagerstroem, a Swedish naturalist and a merchant who provided specimens from the East for Linnaeus. Names The names in English and other vernacular languages are as under: English : Pride of India, Queen Crepe Myrtle. () (), (), () () Growth It is a small to medium-sized to large tree growing to tall, with an attractive symmetrical crown having a short bole or trunk with smooth, flaky light grey or cream-colured bark. The leaves are simple, deciduous, oval to elliptic with stout petiole, long and broad, with an acute apex. The flowers are produced in erect panicles long, each flower with six white to purple petals long. It has simple leaves with, glabrous, large, elliptic or oblong lanceolate. The fruits are ellipsoid or sub-globose woody capsules. They are green at first, but later turn brown and finally black. The fruits hang on to the trees. It is easily raised through seeds. It grows best on rich deep alluvial loams and prefers warm, humid and moist soils and can withstand water logging. Flowering occurs 3–5 years after planting and the main flowering season is April–June with a second flush in July–August. The fruits ripen in November–January. p. 198 Cultivation and uses It is grown in South East Asia, China India, Bangladesh and the Philippines and even extends to Australia. It is native to India particularly in the western ghats of India covering Belgaum, north and south Kanara, Malabar and Travancore and also in Assam and West Bengal. It is also widely cultivated as an ornamental plant in tropical and subtropical areas.The leaves of the banabá and other parts are used widely in the Philippines, Taiwan, and Japan as a tea preparation. Banabá