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What Causes Black Sooty Mold? 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. Hence the name: Sooty Mold.
Why are my Crepe Myrtles turning black?
As summer approaches, it is not unusual for crape myrtles’ lush green growth to turn black as they are covered in sooty mold. Sooty mold is the black, crusty material that encompasses the leaves during the growing season. It is easier to prevent sooty mold than to control it, and that means starting early.
Why does my crepe myrtle look burnt?
Burned foliage, a result of adverse growing conditions. A: Burned edges of leaves can be caused by several things including too much fertilizer, lack of water, root diseases or too much water. I suspect the problem is directly related to the amount of water your crape myrtle is receiving.
How do you treat black bark on Crepe Myrtles?
Treatment. The best window for control is late April or early May as the crapemyrtles begin to really flush, and can be applied through July. Apply a soil drench of an imidacloprid product such as Ferti-Lome Tree & Shrub Systemic Insect Drench during this period.
How do you know when a crepe myrtle is dying?
Signs that your Crepe Myrtle is dying or dead Crepe Myrtles have thin bark, which you can scratch with your fingernail. You can do this to check the health of your tree. Tree care professionals call this the “scratch test.” If the bark underneath is green, your tree is still alive.
What is wrong with my crepe myrtle tree?
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.
How do you treat black sooty mold on trees?
Spraying the leaves with insecticidal soap can help soften the sooty coating. Spray late in the day so the soap remains moist for as long as possible. If you can spray a few hours before a heavy rain is forecast the rain will be better able to remove the sooty mold.
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.
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 do you spray crepe myrtles with?
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.
How do I bring my crepe myrtle back to life?
Cut off the dead top and let the shoots grow. They’ll grow faster than a congressman’s nose. Select 4-5 well-spaced ones to become the new main trunks and cut off the rest. Your crepe myrtle will grow back free-of-charge and may even bloom this summer.
Can you overwater a crape myrtle?
Watering Issues Crape myrtle trees need the most moisture in the soil profile when they are actively growing — when the plant displays leaves. Overwatering crape myrtles in spring and summer can diminish flowering, since overly moist soil promotes leafy growth, not flower production.
What is the black stuff on leaves?
The black stuff on the leaves is a fungus called sooty mold. It doesn’t attack plants directly. Instead, it grows on the sticky honeydew secreted by sucking insects feeding on the plant. So inspect the foliage carefully, both top and bottom surfaces.
What does sooty mold look like?
Sooty mold is a dark gray or blackish powdery coating on plant foliage, fruits or even nearby structures such as fences, sheds, furniture, stones and decorative items.
What is the natural remedy for sooty mold?
Home remedies that work include baking soda sprays (1 tablespoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of insecticidal or dish soap-do not use detergent-in a gallon of water. Spray every 7 to 14 days) and solutions of milk (one part milk to two parts water, sprayed every 7 to 14 days).
Why do Crepe Myrtles lose their bark?
Crepe Myrtle Bark Shedding – A Perfectly Normal Process It occurs after the tree has reached full maturity, which may be a several years after you plant it. Crepe myrtle bark shedding is a normal process to these trees. They are often prized because of the coloration that shows up on their wood once the bark is shed.
How do you clean crepe myrtle?
You can clean it with a soft brush with warm, soapy water. One man used his pressure washer to clean the trunks. You can clean it but the black will come back unless you solve the insect problem. Two insects could be the culprit — aphids and the crape myrtle bark scale.
Why does my crepe myrtle have white leaves?
Despite its usual hardiness, in the spring and fall, some leaves may turn grayish white. This change may be a sign of powdery mildew, a disease common to crape myrtles.
What is the best fungicide for Crepe Myrtles?
Spray the infected crepe myrtle trees with copper fungicide or lime sulfur fungicide.
What kind of fertilizer do Crepe Myrtles need?
Then, to maximize spring growth and summer bloom, fertilize crape myrtles in early spring just prior to new growth. Fertilizers including 8-8-8, 10-10-10, 12-4-8 or 16-4-8 will work fine and are ideal for crape myrtles, but don’t go overboard.
