Crape Myrtle Bark Scale in Memphis: How to Spot It, Stop It, and Save Your Trees

Why Memphis Is Ground Zero for Crape Myrtle Bark Scale

Crape myrtle bark scale (Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae) is an invasive insect pest native to Asia. It was first detected in the United States outside Dallas in 2004. By 2012–2013, it had crossed into Tennessee — first identified in Germantown, and soon after in the broader Memphis metro area.

That makes West Tennessee one of the earliest and longest-affected markets in the country. If you have mature crape myrtles in Cordova, Collierville, Bartlett, Lakeland, Arlington, Brunswick, or anywhere in Memphis and Shelby County, your trees have been at risk for years. The scale has also spread into Fayette County and northern Mississippi.

 That means this is not a “wait and see” pest. Across our Mid-South service area, we've watched it move tree by tree through entire neighborhoods.

How to Identify Crape Myrtle Bark Scale

There are three signs to look for in the order most Memphis homeowners notice them:

1. White, felt-like crust on the bark

Female scale insects attach themselves to the trunk and limbs, often near pruning wounds or branch junctions. They look like small white or gray-white bumps — almost like the tree got splashed with paint. If you crush one and it leaves a pink stain, you're looking at bark scale.

2. Black, sooty grime on the trunk, leaves, and everything below

As the scale feeds on the tree's sap, they excrete a sugary waste called honeydew. That honeydew feeds Black Sooty Mold, which coats the bark, the leaves, and anything underneath the tree — patio furniture, walkways, vehicles, mulch beds, you name it.

3. Reduced flowering and stunted growth

Severely infested crape myrtles bloom less. New growth slows down. Black Sooty Mold reduces energy absorption from sunlight. Some homeowners assume the tree is just “tired” or needs pruning. It isn't, and it doesn't.

If one tree is showing signs, check the others. CMBS can spread from crape to crape through wind, birds, and other insects — and in a Memphis neighborhood full of crape myrtles, that spread happens fast.

What Crape Myrtle Bark Scale Does to Your Trees and Yard

Crape myrtles have been a Southern landscape staple for decades because they're tough, beautiful, and low-maintenance. CMBS changes that equation. Left untreated, an infested crape myrtle will:

• Lose flower production season after season

• Show reduced vigor and stunted growth

• Develop persistent Black Sooty Mold on the bark and surrounding plants

• Become a source of infection for healthy crape myrtles nearby

The good news: the trees rarely die outright. They just get progressively uglier and weaker until you decide to do something about it. We'd rather help you stop further damage faster.

How We Treat Crape Myrtle Bark Scale

Our Crape Myrtle Bark Scale Control (CMS) treatment is a systemic insecticide soil drench applied directly around the base of each affected tree. Here's how it works:

1. We apply the product to the soil at the root zone.

2. The tree absorbs the product through its roots.

3. The vascular system carries it throughout the trunk and limbs.

4. As scale insects feed on the sap, they ingest the product — and the population collapses.

This is not a foliar spray. There's no aerial application. There’s no drift. Once the product is watered in — either by rain or by you within 12 to 24 hours — pets and family can use the area normally.

For trees with heavy infestations, we may recommend two applications: one in spring and one in mid-summer for season-long protection.

What About the Black Mold That's Already There?

Once the scale is controlled, the Black Sooty Mold fades on its own as the bark naturally peels or it will weather away. To speed it up, gently wash the trunk and limbs with a soft brush and a mild dish soap (Dawn works well). Don't scrub aggressively as you can damage the bark.

Why Prevention Matters in the Mid-South

CMBS isn't going away. It's established, it's widespread across the Memphis area, and the longer your trees go untreated, the harder the infestation is to control.

Annual monitoring and treatment is the cheapest insurance you can put on your landscape. A mature crape myrtle takes 10 to 15 years to grow into the centerpiece you wanted. A bark scale infestation can weaken that timeline by two or three seasons.

If you've already seen white spots or Black Sooty Mold, schedule treatment now. If you haven't, ask us to scout your trees the next time we're on the property. Ornamental and shrub checks are part of our routine service for clients on our Shrub Saver Program.

Local Experts, Family-Owned Since 1987

Personal Lawn Care has cared for Memphis-area lawns and landscapes since 1987. We're family-owned, licensed, bonded, and insured — and we've been treating crape myrtle bark scale across the Mid-South since it first showed up in our region.

If you suspect your crape myrtles are infested, don't wait through another bloom season. Call us at (901) 829-4200 or request your free estimate online. We'll inspect your trees, confirm the diagnosis, and give you a clear treatment plan