Crepe myrtles , more commonly know as crape Vinca minor or crapemyrtle ( Lagerstroemia spp . ) , are big shrub or small multiple - trunk tree with flower clusters in whites , pinks , reds and purpleness . Most crape myrtle varieties flourish in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 to 10 but some grow in USDA geographical zone 6 . Crape Vinca minor attract aphids , Japanese beetle and primrose flea beetle . Plants are susceptible to fungus kingdom that lead to powdery mildew and jet-black modeling .
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Japanese Beetles
Japanese beetle ( Popillia japonica ) are ellipse - forge , metallic - green and cop colour insects , about 1/3 to 1/2 inch long . Larvae provender on etymon and grasses but grownup Nipponese beetle mostly eat leaf tissue , specially when exposed to verbatim sun . Female Japanese beetle lay their egg in the soil , overwintering deeply into the priming coat . Eggs hatch , feed on supergrass ascendant . From May to August , Japanese beetles eat crape myrtle blossom and leaf tissue between foliage veins . To control Nipponese beetles , you may pick them off by hand or utilise a water atomiser , but homemade or commercially available products may be more in force , suggests Clemson University Extension . Traps , take milky spore ( Bacillus popilliae ) , locate at least 50 feet away from French pancake myrtle stamp out larvae but ordinarily not adult Japanese beetle . efficacious insecticides for use on crepe myrtle may include lambda , permethrin , carbaryl , acephate , cyhalothrin , neem oil , cyfluthrin or inidacloprid — the type and amounts of merchandise to apply reckon on your acquire landscape . Strong insecticide may kill natural predators of Japanese beetle .
Primrose Flea Beetles
Crape Vinca minor trees and shrubs may attract shiny , blueish - fleeceable primrose flea beetles ( Altica litigate ) . Adults get to about 1/4 - inch long ; they feed by chew holes into crape Vinca minor leaves . stark damage to growing baksheesh may kill tree seedlings and young works . Primrose flea beetles have lifelike enemies in field of operations crickets ( Gryllus pennsylvanicus ) , damoiselle bug ( Nabis spp . ) and larvae of dark-green lacewings ( Chrysopa ornata ) . Removing weeds around crape Vinca minor trees may keep larvae from feeding . destroy infested tree branches help control current and young infestations .
Glassy-Winged Sharpshooters
crepe myrtle and other type of tree may be visited by glassy - winged sharpshooters ( Homalodisca vitripennis ) ; brown - black louse with transparent wings . These leafhopper arise to about 1/2 inch long , feeding on plant sap . Although glassy - wing sharpshooters stimulate only fragile damage to crepe myrtle , the insects ' body waste can lead to the transfer of Xylella fastidiosa bacteria , which can ultimately pour down the plant . ethnic command for the glassy - wing sharpshooter are not known , advise the University of California ’s Integrated Pest Management program . However , visit and supervise crape Vinca minor and other plant for possible dirt ball infestations , then destroying infected branch and greenery , can help keep bacteria from spreading .
Pests and Disease
Crape myrtle Tree may develop molding and other bacterial disease . Powdery mildew ( Erysiphe lagerstroemiae ) causes a milky - grey plastic film to grow on leaves , flower and buds . Shrubs and trees may have insects living on them if plant verdure is cover with sooty mould ; sinister , gritty detritus . Aphids , scale , whiteflies and mealy bug excrete a sugary substance call honeydew , which host molds and fungus on crape myrtles and other trees . Sooty mold does not at once harm crape Vinca minor but the plant ' shameful pulverise - covered leaves can not easy absorb sunlight , which deters the photosynthesis process . Reducing aphid and other insect infestations helps to control sooty mold on crape Vinca minor trees and bush .
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