Crepe Myrtle Insects And Diseases?

What can I spray on my crepe myrtle for bugs?

Spray your crepe myrtle according to label directions with insecticidal soap, horticultural oil, neem oil, or Natria Multi-Insect Control.

All of these are safe, natural products available at home and garden centers.

Without the insects and their honeydew, sooty mold will gradually wash away.

What diseases do crepe myrtles get?

Crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica) are essentially trouble-free small trees. The most common problems include powdery mildew, Cercospora leaf spot, aphids, Japanese beetles and sooty mold.

Do crepe myrtles attract bugs?

Pollinators. Crape myrtles prefer full sunlight locations with periodic irrigation for vigorous growth and blossoming. Beneficial insects visiting your crape myrtle, from bees to wasps, are attracted to both the bright flowers and honeydew residue left from aphid activity.

How do you know when a crepe myrtle is dying?

How To Tell If You Have A Dead Crape Myrtle. One way to check is to use your fingernail and scratch off a small section of bark. You should see some green just under the surface. If you do, this means the tree is still alive.

How do you get rid of crepe myrtle fungus?

Control: On small plants, wipe or wash off the molds with a small sponge and water. On large trees, use a hose-end sprayer to wash off mold. Spray plants with malathion, horticultural oil, azadirachtin (Neem), or acephate (Orthene) to control insects that secrete honeydew.

How do I control aphids on my crepe myrtle?

Attract beneficials to help provide control. Spray the tree with a molasses solution (2 ounces of molasses to 1 gallon of water) and then release lady bugs (available at some garden centers). You also could treat with neem or a horticultural oil. Once the aphids are gone, the sooty mold will gradually disappear.

What is killing my crepe myrtle?

Problem: Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that covers the leaves and looks like you just sprayed your crepe myrtle with asphalt. Instead, it grows on sticky honeydew secreted by sucking insects like aphids, scales, and white flies that do feed on the leaves. Get rid of the bugs and black mold will go with them.

What is the best fertilizer for crepe myrtle trees?

Crape myrtles require large amounts of nitrogen to foster growth and produce the greatest number of flowers. Choose a high-nitrogen, all-purpose lawn and garden fertilizer such as an 8-8-8 or 10-10-10 solution. A 12-4-8 or 16-4-8 solution is also acceptable if applied at a lesser rate.

What is the black stuff on my crepe myrtle?

The black you are seeing on the crepe myrtle is a mold that grows on a sugary substance that aphids (in this case) excrete. Scale, white flies, lace bugs, mealy bugs and other insects excrete this sugary substance called “honey dew.” Aphids are more of a pest problem to crepe myrtles than other insects.

What animal eats crepe myrtles?

Several predators feed on the crape myrtle aphid. These include ladybird beetles (ladybugs) and their larvae (immature forms), green lacewings and their larvae, hover fly maggots, parasitic wasps, and entomophagous (insect feeding) fungi.

Will aphids kill my crepe myrtle?

Crape myrtle aphids are tiny, only about a 16th of an inch long. It can improve control of pests such as aphids. Remember, an insecticide application will never kill every individual of a pest population. It is the job of natural enemies to clean up after and between insecticide applications.

What is eating my crepe myrtle?

Crepe myrtle pests include aphids and mold. Japanese beetles are another of the crepe myrtle pests that should be mentioned. These bugs will eat the tree. Their larvae are complete pests and with enough of these beetles, can destroy a whole tree.

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