A black, sooty coating on a crape myrtle's trunk usually points to bark scale, a problem that has become common on crape myrtles across Franklin and Brentwood yards.
The scale insects themselves are small and easy to overlook, but the honeydew they produce grows a sooty mold on the bark. Left untreated over multiple seasons, it can weaken flowering and slow the tree's overall vigor.
Treatment is far more effective when caught in the early or moderate stages rather than after years of buildup, when a more involved treatment plan is usually needed.
If your crape myrtle's trunk has that dark, sooty look, an assessment can determine the right treatment approach before it spreads.
A close, clear photo of a crape myrtle trunk showing black sooty mold and scale coating, ideally from a real Franklin-area job.
Canva text suggestion: "That's not dirt, it's bark scale" or "Sooty trunk season is here"