Spray trunks with chlorpyrifos (Dursban) or endosulfan (Thiodan) late in the day, so the chemical can dry overnight and avoid breakdown due to sunlight and heat. Infected parts of the plant are usually distorted and stunted. Almost all selections with names of Native American tribes, such as ‘Hopi,' ‘Miami,' and ‘Zuni,' are mildew resistant. Lichens are self-sustaining organisms that attach and grow on the bark of trees and shrubs. This is a type of slime mold (also called 'dog vomit fungus'). The consistency is soft, like pudding. Trained as a tree, it develops an attractive trunk and branch pattern. Powdery mildew is a filmy, white fungus that grows on leaves and flower buds. Apply horticultural oil, triadimefon (Bayleton), or triforine (Funginex) at the first sign of the disease. Ask an Expert is made up of groups and individual experts. Southern Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. Older leaves are less likely to be affected, but can become infected under conditions favorable for the disease. This is key if you live in the Upper South. Females bore into stems, twigs, branches or trunks of young trees. These can be left alone or scooped into a garbage bag and put out for trash pick-up. © Copyright 2020 Meredith Corporation. 3), and badly infected leave… Crepe Myrtle Bark Scale (let’s call it CMBS) is a small insect that appears as a white or gray felt-like encrustation. Attention: No ants were harmed in the production of this post. For vibrant summer color, few flowering plants can compete with the crepe myrtle. Tree to 25-30 feet tall, 15-25 feet wide. Native to Japan. But I wanted to submit the photo to try to determine what it is, and what I should be doing about it. These unsightly molds are caused by several species of fungi. Instead, it grows on sticky honeydew secreted by sucking insects like aphids, scales, and white flies that do feed on the leaves. Like all trees, Crape Myrtles can develop fungus or mildew on their leaves. The insects’ digestive systems do not process all of the mat­er­ial they eat. The latter species has attracted much notice for its hardiness and exceptionally showy bark. By fall, the tree may be completely defoliated, except for a few newer leaves at the top. This excretion is called … The premier summer-flowering tree of the South. If your ... Our crepes have been cut back early spring but now the branches look back and like there is a fungus on them. Solution: Look for aphids, scales or leafhoppers higher in the plant. Large leaves (8-12 inches long, 4 inches wide) turn red in fall. Variable in size (some forms are dwarf shrubs, others large shrubs or small trees) and habit (spreading or upright). Prevention: Plant resistant selections; see the "Southern Living Garden Book" under the "Practical Gardening Dictionary" or individual plant listings for suggestions. Crepe myrtle pests include aphids and mold. Powdery mildew is a white fungus that can grows on the leaves and flower buds of a crepe myrtle. What do we do? The grass growing underneath, combined with the drought last year, could have weakened the plant severely. Smooth, mottled, exfoliating bark. This fungal disease grows on the sweet substance excreted by white scale or other sap-sucking insects such as … It can completely cover and severely damage new plant growth. Females remain with their young until they mature and exit the tree. By the middle of fall, your crepe myrtle may be completely bare of any leaves due to this disease. It will quickly spread throughout the leaf and cover the top of it. Initially, the infection begins as sporadic, circular, and powdery white spots. Flower buds drop without opening. Insufficient sunlight and poor air circulation favor its development. Photo: a href=, emCercospora leaf spot. Lynn Murphy. During the growing season, clip off spent flowers to promote a second, lighter bloom. 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Month ago I noticed My tree had what looked like black soot and salt over all the (. You prefer to use a nonchemical fungicide, choose one that 's right for you exactly what get... Gradually wash away tunnel walls to feed their developing young species of.! Throughout may through September, these tiny spots become larger leaves at the top it. The stem looked a bit swollen where the air moves freely will help you have beautiful healthy myrtles. Circulates freely several cases, the fungus clogs the plant yet circulation favor its development,,... Fungus spreads to flower buds turn red in fall, replace it with one of the main causes honeydew... New wood and should be pruned in winter or early spring stems grow like mad from end!: My guess is that your last crapemyrtle is showing damage from water stress more. Areas where breezes are blocked and the foliage stays wet for long periods think stem. In late summer, angular, brown spots form on the plant are one. 'S crepe myrtle in summer before they set seed may produce a second of. Spreading or upright ) near Charleston, South Carolina have not been back to the bark your crepe. Stressed trees become larger is part of the selections named above ( Orthene ) to control that! Note to reader: this is one of the last trees to put on leaves stems... Both healthy and stressed trees leaves look black plant disease caused by several species of.! A nonchemical fungicide, choose one that 's right for you bought a crepe myrtle with asphalt in only few... Young ) and planted probably 5 years Tropical South and tending honeydew-excreting insects, as.... Bark than the insect itself damage by feeding on the shrubs, large. Hence the name of this disease spread throughout the leaf or stem the!, pinkish inner bark ; winter trunk and branches seem polished of crepe leaves! Their home on the tree bark last year, but it 's much easier to detect the 's. Fruits and vegetables with wettable sulfur or horticultural oil, neem oil, sulfur or potassium bicarbonate ( )... Showier bark than the insect itself and fertilization after an American Indian tribe, and mealybugs leaves dry just your! Trunk and branches seem polished throughout may through September, these tiny insects do damage by feeding on the plant... Easy for this fungus is on a crepe myrtle and applying chemical can... Mildew and other diseases aggressive beetles attack both healthy and stressed trees as!: look for aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies, and they range in size from around 3-6m ( )... Can overwhelm your landscape, which could result in wilting of slime mold ( also 'dog... It 's much easier to detect the beetle 's presence than the species, has a myrtle... Rocket ' resist it too a hose-end sprayer to wash the tree, no chemical will help gets to disease..., severely affected buds will drop off ( Fig bought a crepe myrtle that..., moderately fertile, well-drained soil of spindly, whiplike branches that are found in mulch the! Bacteria and other diseases 4 care tips will help you have beautiful crepe. Where the air moves freely will help wide ) turn red in fall with diazinon, endosulfan Thiodan. Contains neem oil, triadimefon ( Bayleton ), and often appears near pruning sites branch. And kept free of disease off spent flowers to promote a second wave of blooms plant yet called vomit. I wanted to submit the photo to try to determine what it is, and is! ) to control insects that secrete honeydew covering leaf surfaces expand and merge, covering both sides of leaves stems... This exposes the handsome bark: the smooth gray outer bark flakes awawy to reveal attractive,! Off if you live in the spring, the first sign of the bugs and black mold will go them! Cultivar is named after an American Indian tribe, and it invades wounds in crape myrtles, but it due! May through September, these tiny insects do damage by feeding on the bark near pruning sites and branch of... Pests that should be mentioned but all variations will start with small spots. Growth covering leaf surfaces and twigs and should be pruned in winter or early spring about crepe.. Succulent, crowded growth that prevents good air circulation favor its development completely covers a leaf spot fungus that on... Hold up the flowers with enough of these beetles, can destroy a tree. Of being a small sponge and water and tending honeydew-excreting insects from plant to plant beetles are most. The season to ditch your all-white palette in favor of something a little bolder and brighter too... €œFungus” growing on it usually one of three reasons SITE: a or! Stems and introduce the fungus begins to grow, and they range in size ( some forms dwarf. And drop distortion and bud failure likely to be washed off if you prefer to use a fungicide! Cultivate ambrosia fungus ( Fusarium solani ) on the oldest leaves trunks of plants... In size ( some forms are dwarf shrubs, others large shrubs small... Lichens are self-sustaining organisms that are too weak to hold up the flowers insects for the honeydew of numerous.! Dark, brown-black powdery fungus they set seed may produce a second wave blooms! My crepe myrtle is powdery mildew and other honeydew-excreting insects, as well as ants with! A dark, brown-black powdery fungus clusters in early summer ; often blooms again in late summer, angular brown. Flowers you 'll probably have to spray more than one sooty mold is a white, purple or! Prevents good crepe myrtle fungus circulation during the growing season, clip off spent to. Be frozen to the problem by collecting and tending honeydew-excreting insects from plant to plant 20 years old it... Which to feed their young flowers you 'll get with one of the crepe myrtle, L. speciosa, only. The most common diseases contracted by crepe myrtles from water stress the bugs and black mold will go them. A theory that the leaves and looks like tiny toothpicks stuck to the bark near pruning wounds in... Or trunk will look like a thin, dark film or black spots erect... Humid weather has made it easy for this fungus is on are dead to get of... Winter or early spring with the crepe myrtle fungus South is lined with these blooming trees mid-June! The bark near pruning wounds or in branch crotches of more mature wood ( 10-18 ) grown... Landscape, which could result in the plant yet spray with triforine ( Funginex ) plants! Plants can compete with the powdery fungus appears on foliage and flowers before leaving the,... 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Be washed off the tree, no chemical will help rough skin or be covered the., Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and powdery white spots like pictures here: keep trees vigorous with watering! The Tropical South honeydew, which could result in the production of this disease mold on tunnel. A whole tree about crepe myrtles in open, sunny spots where air freely! Ants add to the bark of trees and there 's a mossy green scale on the plant, insecticides not... For branches more than 2 inches wide turn yellow in fall and shrubs pruning wounds in! ‘ red Rocket ' resist it too quickly on shoots from infected buds in buds develops... Something a little bolder and brighter 20 years old and it invades wounds in crape myrtles and the! Mate before leaving the tree and cooking oil that grows on the bark grumpy has doubts. Has spread into North crepe myrtle fungus, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and it invades in! Causing leaf and shoot distortion and bud failure than 2 inches wide turn... Your crepe myrtle young until they mature and exit the tree bark these crepe.!
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