If you see white stuff on the leaves of your crape myrtles, more than likely you are seeing powdery mildew. Powdery mildew is a fungal disease spread by spores that infect plant leaves and stems quickly covering them in a white or gray powder. This can cause stunting of your crape myrtles and distortion of new growth resulting in flower buds that fail to bloom. Severe infestations will cause premature defoliation.
Powdery mildew is favored by high-humidity at night and dry, mild conditions during the day- often prevalent during spring and fall. Effective control and management of this disease starts with prevention; when installing new crape myrtles, use resistant plant varieties and plant in full sun. For established plants, using good cultural practices such as removing sprouts from the base of plants, encouraging air circulation with selective pruning, and avoiding excessive fertilizations will help minimize the spread of fungal infections.
If powdery mildew becomes severe and has damaged foliage, a fungicide needs to be applied to prevent further spread of infection. Simply Green offers a variety of spray remedies included in our Plant Healthcare Program that are very effective in treating and preventing powdery mildew infections on your crape myrtles.
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