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Crepe Myrtle Sooty Mold Source: Aphids in Tree, Not Bushes

Honeydew Drips Down, Not Up

Black mildew on low bushes under crepe myrtle comes from aphid honeydew falling from the tree. Control aphids on the crepe myrtle; mold on bushes will weather off.

Action

Spray crepe myrtle foliage for aphids (systemic or contact). No fungicide needed.

Trees: Crape Myrtle Rescue: Water Stress and Cercospora Leaf Spot Treatment; Crape Myrtle Aphids and Sooty Mold: Timing Systemic Treatment; Spider Mites on Crape Myrtle: Sticky Residue, Curling Leaves, and Webbing; Crape Myrtle Pests: Aphids, Lady Beetle Larvae, and Sooty Mold; Crape Myrtle Not Blooming? Diagnose Sunlight, Soil, and Pruning Issues; Crepe Myrtle Bloom Care: Pruning, Fertilizing, and Sucker Removal; Crape Myrtle Aphid Battle: Persistence Beats Sooty Mold Sprays; Crape Myrtle Roots Too Deep? Shallow-Rooted Shrub Alternatives for Your Yard; Crape Myrtle Leaves Turning Red in Summer: Transplant Shock; Diagnosing Black Specks on Crape Myrtle: Thrips, Spider Mites, or Aphids?

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