For vibrant summer color, few flowering plants can compete with the crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica). Just look around your neighborhood. Nearly every street in the South is lined with these ...

Crape myrtles are a common sight in southern landscapes, but they are at risk from an invasive insect in the form of crape myrtle bark scale. There are ways to combat this troublesome pest, but ...

Q: Why are the trunks of my crape myrtles turning black? They look rather unsightly. Mine aren't the only ones doing this -- many in our neighborhood look the same. Is it a disease? Is it going to ...

Dear Neil: Regarding crape myrtle bark scale — Southeastern Virginia has been battling this pest for years. The scale itself will not kill the plants. However, the sooty mold is the real problem. The ...

Now that we’ve had six weeks’ exposure to hot, dry conditions, that’s when the challenging questions start rolling out. (Like an avalanche.) I’ve assembled some of the most common ones in the hopes ...

Not long ago, I received the following email: “I have two crape myrtle trees in my front yard, one about 25 years old and one about 10 years old. They are in full sun. They usually bloom later than ...