Q.my plants have a black with little white?
I live in Baytown, Texas where it is very humid all of the time. My bushes and now my holly tree and crepe myrtle have gotten this black looking tinge to them. Not all leaves, just some. They also have these little white, rice like looking things on the leaves and trunk and branches.
My second holly tree has died and had little white rice like things on it’s trunk and branches.
What is this and what do I do to save my plants?
Let me know if you need pictures.
Thank you!
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
Usually the black on leaves is sooty mold, which develops from honeydew produced by insects, probably Crape myrtle bark scale.
By eliminating the insect, the sooty mold will go away. I have included information on how to reduce or eliminate the scale.
https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/library/landscaping/crape-myrtle-bark-scale-a-new-exotic-pest/
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/disease/how-to-get-rid-of-sooty-mold.htm
