DISEASE ID · FUNGAL DISEASE
Sooty mold
Also called Sooty mold on crape myrtle, sooty mold on roses, black soot on leaves
A black coating that looks like soot on leaves, twigs, and bark. It grows on sticky honeydew left by aphids, scale, and whiteflies, so the bugs are the real problem.
How to spot it
- Black, velvety coating on leaves, twigs, or bark
- It often rubs off easily, and can look spotty where the honeydew was light
- Sticky film on leaves, and on whatever sits under the tree
- Small white specks nearby: cast skins left by aphids, or white scale insects stuck to the bark
- Common on crape myrtle, oleander, gardenia, azalea, and roses
Why it shows up
The mold does not feed on the plant. It grows on honeydew, the sugary waste that aphids, scale, and whiteflies leave behind. Crape myrtle bark scale, which is common in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, makes a lot of it. More bugs means more honeydew, and more mold.
How we treat it
Cleaning the mold off does not fix it, because the bugs keep making honeydew. We will identify what is feeding on your plant on a visit and recommend the right fix. Once the bugs are under control, rain slowly washes the mold away. If a treatment makes sense, we will talk it through with you.
What you can do
- Check the bark and the underside of leaves for aphids, scale, or whiteflies.
- Find the bugs first. Scrubbing off the mold will not stop it coming back.
- Call us if your crape myrtle bark looks white and crusty or the trunk is turning black.
WANT IT HANDLED?
Let a licensed applicator take it from here.
Tell us about your lawn. We’ll get back to you with a free quote.
Prefer to talk? 817-382-1722Licensed applicator, Texas Department of Agriculture · License #0984138