Q.Something Is Killing My Crepe Myrtles
Noticed the leaves turning yellow and falling off the trees. Thought I just need to water more since they were planted this spring. Not the case. The leaves look like black dots on the top of the leaves and something white microscopic on the bottoms while the leaves are still on the tree. The small branches also look black. They really didn’t bloom this year only a few clusters. Help!
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
It sounds like you have a pest infestation, which is causing a fungus. There are a few pests it could be, but they are all treated in the same way. It could be mealybugs, aphids or scale. They all also produce honeydew, which encourages the growth of fungus. You will need to treat the trees with a pesticide and a fungicide. I actually like neem oil because it is both a pesticide and a fungicide.
