That black soot creeping up your crape myrtle's trunk isn't dirt, it's bark scale.
Small scale insects produce a sticky honeydew that grows sooty mold on the bark. Catch it early and treatment is a lot simpler.
Link in bio if your crape myrtle is showing that dark, sooty coating this season.
#TreeCare #CrapeMyrtle #TreeHealth #FranklinTN #WilliamsonCounty #TreePestControl #ArboristTips #BrentwoodTN
A close, well-lit photo of a crape myrtle trunk showing the black sooty mold and scale coating, ideally from a real Franklin-area job. Texture and detail matter here.
Canva text suggestion: "That's not dirt, it's bark scale" or "Sooty trunk? Here's why"