Well, let me tell ya somethin’ ’bout them crepe myrtle trees. You know, they real pretty in summer with them pink, purple, and white flowers, but sometimes folks get worried when they see the bark fallin’ off or them white spots showin’ up. Don’t panic right away, it’s not the end of the world. I’ve seen this kinda thing a lot back in the day. Let me explain what’s goin’ on.
First off, the bark sheddin’ – it’s normal, believe it or not. Crepe myrtles, they like to shed their bark naturally. It’s like how we lose our hair when we get older, it’s just part of their life. You’ll see them peelin’ off like old wallpaper, but that’s just how they do. They do it every year, especially when they growin’. So, if ya see the bark comin’ off, don’t go choppin’ it down thinkin’ it’s sick. Just let it be.
Now, about them white spots. That’s a bit more tricky, but again, don’t freak out right away. There’s a couple of reasons you might see white stuff on the tree. One of the common ones is called powdery mildew. It’s like a fungus that loves to grow on crepe myrtles. You’ll see it on the leaves, flowers, and sometimes new branches. Kinda like someone dumped a bunch of powder on it. This can slow down how much the tree grows, and sometimes the flowers won’t even open up. If ya wanna stop it, the best way is to give the tree some space so the air can move around. They don’t like gettin’ too crowded, these trees.
But if them white spots look more like little blobs or lumps, that could be somethin’ else, called crepe myrtle bark scale. Now, these are tiny bugs that stick to the bark and suck out the sap. Yeah, they drink up all the good stuff from the tree. And after they finish their meal, they leave these white, fuzzy spots all over the bark. You’ll often see them underneath the branches where the sun don’t shine as much. These little critters can make the tree weaker over time, so it’s best to clean ’em up as soon as you see ‘em. You can spray the tree with some soapy water or even get some stronger stuff from the store if it’s real bad.
Speaking of sap, you might notice the tree’s sticky, like someone spilled syrup under it. That’s probably the work of aphids. These little bugs like to suck on the leaves, and when they do, they leave behind a sticky substance, kinda like honey. That sap collects under the tree, and let me tell ya, it’s a mess. If ya don’t take care of it, it might lead to black mold growin’ too, and that’s gonna make things worse.
What you should do:
- If the tree’s bark is sheddin’, just leave it be. That’s natural.
- If you got white spots on the leaves or flowers, check for powdery mildew and give the tree some space for air.
- If the white spots are on the bark, you probably got bark scale. Clean it off with soapy water or stronger stuff if needed.
- If there’s sticky sap under the tree, you’ve likely got aphids. A good spray of water can wash ’em away, or you might need to use an insecticide.
So there ya go. Don’t worry too much if your crepe myrtle’s bark is fallin’ off or if you spot some white fuzz on it. Just give the tree a little attention, and it’ll keep growin’ strong and pretty. Them crepe myrtles are tough trees, just like the folks who grow ’em!
Tags：[crepe myrtle, bark shedding, white spots, powdery mildew, bark scale, aphids, tree care]
