Q • I have what looks like a white, powdery substance on the leaves and buds of my crape myrtle. Is this a problem, and if so, what should I do about it?

A: It sounds like your crape myrtle has powdery mildew. This is a fungal disease that grows in thin layers on the surface of leaves and buds of crape myrtles and many other ornamental plants.

This disease can cause leaves and flowers to look distorted, and they can sometimes die prematurely. Powdery mildew is not usually considered a serious disease as it rarely kills a plant, so the use of fungicide is not typically recommended. Some crape myrtle cultivars such as Chickasaw, Acoma, Muskogee, Apalachee and Comanche have good resistance to powdery mildew, so consider planting them if you want to add new plants to your yard or replace t

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