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Georgia Gardener

Japanese Beetle Resistan Crepe Myrtles

18 years ago

Folks,

I saw an article the other day which described two species of Crepe Myrtle that were japanese beetle resistant, and I can't find the article any longer. Does anyone know what these particular Crepe Myrtles are? Thanks.

perryrip

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Comments (8)

Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
18 years ago
I've never in my life had a problem with a JB on a crape - of ANY variety. Is that a problem in Georgia??
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
18 years ago
I agree...I don't think of JB as major (or miner) pests of Crapemyrtle. There ARE some crapes that have been determined to be resistant to the Crapemyrtle Aphid, though. Do you think that's what you mean?
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The conventional wisdom for beetle bags is that you want your neighbor to use them, not you. If you use them, there is a good chance that there will actually be MORE beetles in your yard than if you weren't using them. Also, this is the Integrated Pest Management Forum. "This forum is for the discussion of Integrated Pest Management, commonly known as "IPM." This is a set of methods used to maintain healthy gardens with primarily natural controls and thereby minimize situations in which chemicals need to be used." Heading straight for the Grub-Ex (imidacloprid) is not, in my opinion, consistent with the principles of IPM. If I were you, depending on how tall the crape myrtles are, I would start by filling a bowl half-full of water, adding a squirt of dish detergent, and going out every evening (the beetles are less frisky then) to knock the beetles into the water to drown. The beetles' instinct is to drop to the ground, so just hold the bowl under the branch and tap the branch, and they will fall in. This method is free, environmentally harmless, and effective.
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efam
18 years ago
JB's will tear up the crape myrtles in my neighborhood...pretty much devouring every single leaf. That's why I don't have one.
Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
18 years ago
Well, I found the answer. The article linked below says "Japanese beetle is a pest in locations where its distribution overlaps with that of crape myrtle; currently that is somewhere to the north of middle Georgia." So there you go! Explains why no JB problem in Jacksonville, Florida!

The article goes on to say that the three varieties most resistant are Natchez (white), Tonto (dark reddish pink) and Muskogee (pale purple/lavender).

Here is a link that might be useful: Pest Resistance in Crape Myrtles
Kathy Bochonko
18 years ago
Well forget the Nachez, they love mine.
pam_3
18 years ago
I had three: 2 Pecos (smaller variety with bright pink flowers) that the JBs loved, and an Acoma (also smaller variety, but with white flowers) that they didn't touch. I'm giving away the Pecos, so we'll see how the Acoma does this year. It was planted in honor of my son's birth, so if they attack...it's war!
Pam
goatster
18 years ago
I am in West Central Georgia and the JB's eat my CM's up.
nemoooo
16 years ago
Pam, I was wondering (a year later) how your Acoma white crape myrtle is doing. Are the Japanese Beetles still leaving it alone? I am looking for a new CM, and we have a TERRIBLE beetle problem up here in PA. In fact they like them more than the hibiscus plants! Every year they totally devour my pink crape myrtle (I forget the name, it might be Dynamite), and I have to keep it heavily sprayed the whole season.

I am looking to add more crape myrtles to my yard, but they will have to be the JB resistant ones. This is the worst year ever for these beetles here!

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