Systemic insecticides work very well to control the bark scale, but the timing is most effective when applied in late winter/early spring. If you are just now spotting the problem, you can clean off the trunk with warm, soapy water to remove the black sooty mold.
Should I peel the bark off my crepe myrtle?
Here’s why. Answer: It is natural and even desirable for the bark of crape myrtles to peel, often revealing different colors of bark underneath. This is one of the attractive features of these wonderful summer blooming trees.
What does bark scale look like?
Bark scales are in a different scale insect family (Eriococcidae) than soft scales (Coccidae), and they look very similar to mealybugs. The CMBS infestations appear as white or gray, waxy crustations on stems, large twigs, and trunks, but rarely on foliage.
How do you clean crepe myrtle bark?
Mix dishwashing soap with water and scrub the branches with a soft bristle brush.
How do you get rid of white scales on Crepe Myrtles?
If your plants are heavily infested, wash the trunk and reachable limbs with a soft brush and mild solution of dishwashing soap and water. This will remove many of the female scales and egg masses, making insecticide control more effective.
What is the white stuff all over my crepe myrtle?
Powdery Mildew: Powdery mildew is one of the most common problems of crape myrtle, and it is caused by the fungus Erysiphe lagerstroemiae. Patches of white to grayish powdery growth occur on the surfaces of leaves, flowers, and new shoots. Heavily infected flowers may fail to open.
How often do crepe myrtle trees shed their bark?
Once the tree reaches full maturity, about one to two years after being planted, you can expect bark exfoliation every year in some varieties. Depending on rainfall, other types have been known to shed bark every other year.
Should loose bark be removed?
Discard any torn bark and remove any loose bark surrounding the wound. Forest Keepers warns not to chisel into the wound, just around the edges. The growth of new bark over the wound is a good indicator the tree will recover.
What do crepe myrtle scales look like?
Look for crape myrtles with heavy accumulations of black sooty mold on the leaves, limbs, and trunk. Adult female scales are covered with a soft, off-white felt-like material and are about one-tenth of an inch long. The nymphs (right side) do not have this covering.
What is the black stuff on my Crepe Myrtles?
Black sooty mold is actually an airborne fungi spore that latches on to the sweet sticky honeydew secreted by leaf and bark feeding insects. On Crepe Myrtles and most other plants the culprit here is either sap sucking Aphids or Bark sucking Scale.
What is wrong with crepe myrtle black bark and white dots on trunk?
If your crepe myrtle is affected by white scale, it may develop black sooty mold (In fact, the sooty, black substance may be the first sign of white scale on crepe myrtles.). This fungal disease grows on the sweet substance excreted by white scale or other sap-sucking insects such as aphids, whiteflies or mealybugs.
What causes crepe myrtle bark scale?
The most likely culprit is a scale insect found in China, Japan, and Korea. In its na- tive range, this scale, tentatively identified as crape myrtle bark scale (CMBS, Eriococ- cus lagerstroemia), feeds on crape myrtles and pomegranates.
Can you pressure wash Crepe Myrtles?
Answer: Power washing the crape myrtle is a recommended treatment for crape myrtle bark scale but you have to be careful. Pressure washers can be powerful enough to blast the bark off trees or even cut through limbs.
What kills fungus on crepe myrtle?
Spray your crepe myrtle with fungicides as soon as you see mildew on the leaves. A variety of chemicals can control powdery mildew, including neem oil, sulfur-based sprays, propiconazole, potassium bicarbonates and tebuconazole.
What is wrong with my crepe myrtle tree?
Powdery mildew is a plant disease caused by a fungus. This is one of the most common diseases contracted by crepe myrtle trees. It contains patches of powdery white or gray growths that tend to cover the leaves and sometimes the branches as well.
