If your crepe myrtle’s leaf edges look tattered or you notice similar damage, your tree may have pests. Powdery Mildew. Crepe myrtles, also known as crape myrtles or Lagerstroemia, can give your yard vibrant injections of white, pink-purple, and red when in bloom. Found throughout May through September, these tiny insects do damage by feeding on the soft tissues and plant sap of Crepe Myrtle leaves. This makes it easy for them to quickly grow into a large population that will damage your tree. A stressed tree is more susceptible to damage by insects and disease. They also come in many sizes, so there is a plant for every purpose around the garden, from specimen tree to low shrub or container plant. Pests. The major insect pests of crape myrtles in Texas are crape myrtle aphids, Japanese beetles, and primrose flea beetles. Crape Myrtle Aphids. One of the common pests that plague these large shrubs is spider mites . Without the insects and their honeydew, sooty mold will gradually wash away. Powdery mildew is caused by the fungus Erysiphe lagerstroemiae. Controlling them requires a two-step approach each year. The crapemyrtle bark scale (Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae) is a recently introduced pest from Asia that initially infested crapemyrtles (Lagerstroemia spp.) Spray your crepe myrtle according to label directions with insecticidal soap, horticultural oil, neem oil, or Natria Multi-Insect Control. Crapemyrtle bark scales build shells over themselves so normal insecticides won’t kill them. A few insects on a plant usually do not cause damage to the plant. Primary pests in Florida are powdery mildew and the crapemyrtle aphid with its associated sooty mold. in Texas during 2004.Since then, it has spread rapidly through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Georgia. The crepe myrtle will absorb the insecticide and all scales feeding on it will die. Crape myrtle bark scale is an introduced insect pest from Asia, and it has a great affinity for crape myrtle trees. As spring foliage decorates plant limbs, crape myrtle aphids flock to your shrubs and trees. Crepe myrtle aphids reproduce rapidly. Crapemyrtle can be one of the most pest-free landscape plants with proper cultivar selection and with proper siting. “The white dots are likely insects called crapemyrtle bark scales. All of these are safe, natural products available at home and garden centers. Crape Myrtles (Lagerstroemia) are very popular shrubs for warmer areas, and no wonder.They have spectacular blooms for an extended period, grow well in poor soil, and are heat and drought resistant. The problem usually goes unnoticed until plants begin turning black with a fungus called sooty mold when it begins to grow on insect droppings. 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