Why are the trunks of my crape myrtles turning black? They look rather unsightly. Mine aren't the only ones doing this -- ...

First detected in the U.S. in Dallas in 2004, crape myrtle bark scale is a sucking insect that feeds on the sap of plants. It excretes a sugary solution known as “honeydew,” like what is ...

I was amazed at what good help there is out there. Dear Neil: Regarding crape myrtle bark scale – Southeastern Virginia has been battling this pest for years. The scale itself will not kill the ...

I usually wait until mid-January to write something on this topic but this week I saw my first severe pruning of a crape myrtle for this dormant season earlier this month. So, instead of visions ...

For example, I planted three Natchez crape myrtles 25 years ago. This cultivar, known for its striking white blooms and mottled bark that peels in summer, can grow over 20 feet tall. I pruned them ...

I was amazed at what good help there is out there. Q: Regarding crape myrtle bark scale – Southeastern Virginia has been battling this pest for years. The scale itself will not kill the plants.

Janet B. Carson, a freelance writer, retired in 2018 from her 38-year career at the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension. She was a horticulture specialist and coordinator of the Arkansas ...