Can you tell me plant name and what is wrong with it?

Hi guys,

Am new to LA area and just moved into a little house in Pasadena. I inherited a garden and several fruit trees, most in good shape, though the lawn is a little patchy (any advice is welcome in that regard, I am from NYC and no nothing of lawns).

Anyway there are a few of these plants/shrubs lining the wall between my neighbor's yard and mine. They are very nice but I noticed one of them was covered with a white powdery film and it was not doing very well. I don't know what these shrubs are so included a picture below. I also am attaching a photo of a powdery area that I cut off.

Identification and advice about what to do would be appreciated. (and am open to advice about lawns also!)

Thanks,

Lee

Here's a picture of the bad stuff.

The 'bad stuff' is almost surely powdery mildew. I suggest a systemic fungicide. Topicals don't work for me. I use Green Light Fungaway. There will be a lot of available products at your garden center.

After you get the mildew under control if you like to go with gentler methods you can spray with Messenger (available on line) every three weeks. I combine it with a plant food and do it all at once.

Don't know what the plant is though. If you can't find an answer here, I suggest you take it to the ID forum.

Thanks doss!

Crape Myrtle is the tree/bush :~)

Welcome to California! I forgot to say that. Do you have photos of your new place? I'm no lawn expert but I try to have the least lawn possible. If you've got kids of course you'll want one. I used to go to Girl Scout Camp in the mountains right above Pasadena. It's a beautiful town.

Thanks PudgyMudpies (that's cute).......appreciate the info!

edited to add: I just looked it up in the plant files and am very excited that I can expect lots of color later this summer!

Hey doss, thanks so much. I was in the bay area for a few months before moving down here, but the place there was in the hills and no lawn there either.....so I am in new territory. This is a photo of the front. The lawn is looking green here, but around the edges there is patchiness. Not brown there so much as baldness.....

This message was edited May 28, 2007 2:13 AM

This is the back yard. Here is where it gets brown.....

Just for fun.....this is a view of the mountains you mentioned from my back yard.

There is Pasadena Rose Bowl Flea Market, too! Every 2nd Sunday.... Hugessss.....

Oh Wow.....What a tremendous opportunity.....personality house. I'm not big on grass, so I look at the front of that house and immediately see low-walled courtyard, giant phormium, pennisetum rubrum, anigozanthus, melaleucas, aloes...such a wonderfularray of plants to choose from....all complementing that house and view. Dead grass? Wonderful news! A new place to work on is always fun...have a great time with it.
Sherry

Very cute house! I love that style. I'm personally not a fan of grass so I like Sherry's ideas, that would look really wonderful. Grass needs too much water and attention, not to mention it takes up a lot of space that could be used for plants! I bought a new house last summer and ripped up all the grass and replaced most of it with garden beds, except for paths and a small area in my backyard that I put in fine gravel for my dog to run around on.

Crape myrtles are very susceptible to powdery mildew, it's going to be a constant battle to keep it from coming back every year. The best long-term fix is to replace the susceptible ones with some of the newer cultivars that are resistant (I know the Indian tribe hybrids are resistant, probably some others as well)

What a lovely house! And a nice view too. :-) You have such a nice big yard to landscape. The backyard may just need feeding/thatching/etc. I'm surprised that there's such a difference between the two places. Is that a huge orange tree that the hammock is under? I'd plant at least one shade tree so that you have room to spread out in the shade and enjoy your yard. I think Chinese Elms are some of the best fast-growing shade trees there are but you do have to keep them pruned.

Oh, I love the Chinese Elm also. Whittier (S. Calif.) has a lot of lovely, huge, old elms. It sounds as though at least the 3 of us would like to come work on your place!

Thanks for all of the great ideas you guys!

I think the difference between the front and back yard is that the front yard is under the shade of a very large tree which you can't see as I am standing by it taking the photo. I think the bald patches are mostly from traffic and maybe not getting water all the way out to the edge. I bought a different sprinkler configuration that I tried this morning and I think it may help. But you've given me another idea as well...if grass isn't working there, why not plant something else? I bet that'd look really cute in the corners. Oooh, lots of ideas.

I did a bit of aerating (hard work!) and feeding out back this weekend. I also took that back right corner and made a garden bed and put in some tomatoes and squash. I also put in some watermelon. I know that doesn't make sense but I saw the little seedlings and couldn't resist. And I put a new white rose bush in an empty spot between several other rose bushes.

I relocated here pretty quickly and so I elected to rent until I was sure I knew where I wanted to live (I work in downtown LA) and where I wanted/could afford to buy. I may have an option to purchase this house and am considering it. Until I do I may have some limitations on what landscaping I can do, but really the owner is a great guy and I am pretty free to make changes.

Those are an orange and a grapefruit tree the hammock is under. My only fear laying there is getting bonked in the head by falling grapefruit! Also, to the right is a lime tree and a fig tree. That big tree hanging over the back fence is an avocado tree and I am keeping a close eye on the fruit hanging over on my side. I plan to lay claim to them, like the loquat fruits from the tree that hangs over the right fence and the blackberry vine that has worked it's way over to my side through the left fence. It's good to have neighbors with thriving (and edible) yards! :-)

Follow on question about the mildew......it seems to be on one plant mostly but am concerned about it spreading to the plants on either side (all are myrtles).....does it spread easily?

and ps. feel free to come by and start planting! :-)

Great rental! You did some really good shopping. :-)

As far as it spreading, I've found that mildew on roses really only attacks plants that are prone to it but I could see a concern that it would spread. Guess you'll just have to keep an eye on the surrounding plants to see if it does. I had a Japanese Maple that was in too much shade and it mildewed every year. I moved it to a sunnier location and no mildew. So it's environmental too. That one plant may be in more shade?

Thanks doss! I do feel lucky finding this place, I admit. The neighborhood is older and the houses not particularly big, but they are all well cared for and a lot of nice lawns and lovely gardens. Lots of big old trees lining the street. I think it is a common So California configuration that the houses are so close to each other on the side, but with long back yards. So it really is nice that the neighbors are all gardeners. And everyone has a gardener too! Ours comes on Fridays and really only mows and trims bushes, but I'll take all the help I can get!

Anyway, you have hit the nail on the head regarding the environment surrounding that mildewy bush. It is really tucked under that loquat tree hanging over the wall (you can see it on the right of the photo of back yard). That tree seems to block the light and I noticed that the loquat tree has a bit of a damp, sticky feel to it. Especially when the fruit were all over it. I am assuming that's the nature of the tree, but I am keeping an eye on it to make sure it is not fungus-y itself. (I've decided that's a word "fungus-y":-)

Great word: Fungus-y LOL

Edited to say that I would be surprised if the trunk of the loquat was having trouble. It's used to being in the shade. Loquats even grow under English Walnuts!

This message was edited May 28, 2007 4:11 PM

You were really lucky to find a house to rent with all that wonderful stuff there...I guess the landlord wouldn't want us to come and tear up the grass, huh? If it's a good drive for you to work, Pasadena's a wonderful place to live. We get a lot of people down our way who retire and want to get out of the city, have their groves, whatever....I know a couple who came from Pasadena, stayed here 15 years and as, they say, "have more money than they'll ever need", and went back to Pasadena. They loved it there, she missed being a docent at the Huntington and a lot of other things close at hand. You'll have fun exploring all that's around you if you're totally new to the area. My first thing would be to head into L.A. and hit Philippe for beef dip, egg custard, lemonade. I wish the traffic weren't so bad to get up there, there are so many good things available there.

Thanks for the tips....I have lots of exploring to do!

Welcome to CA.....NY!

Enjoy the wonders of a climate where almost anything will grow. It is no accident why the Huntington Botanic Gardens, the Los Angeles Arboretum and about a bazillion fabulous private plant collections are in your neighborhood.

I might be more inclined to use a little sulfur dust on that mildew inhabiting your Lagerstroemia indica (Crape Myrtle) before resorting to more severe measures as the southern California sun normally burns these more pesky than deleterious fungal moments out before they become too serious. What a joy to find a place with such an inherited plethora of horticultural joy. You must be jazzed!

Hang out here and you'll find so much help you'll wonder why you posted in the first place......lol.

Be well and enjoy the fact that the chances of running into a guy who drives a Monte Carlo because his name is Monty are somewhat rare....lol. And I'm sure you'll have a good time laughing at our rather quaint use of the English language, but note, we're here for you when your Myrtles are growing like turtles.

welcome and the very best to you,
don

So poetic today Don!

hiya doss,

So great to see you!!!.....giganitic hugs from one of those Berkeley fruitloops...lol.

How are your fabulous gardens and why aren't we seeing you in the dahlia forum?

Especially the GRITDIG thread, since you are, in fact, one of the first to have a D. imperialis. I'd love it if you'd catch me up on how things are going over there in your amazing gardens and.....yes.....in the land of Cardinal...lol.

the best to you, and NY2CA.....listen to this member, she's got the 411.

hugs to you doss,
don

Thank you so much Don!

I am enjoying having a yard to play in. This past weekend I had planned to finish unpacking and getting things really organized around here....but I spent all my time in the back yard. It was so much more fun than working indoors. Consequently I have a new little garden bed, new herb container garden, new meyer lemon tree and a newly planted rose bush......but am still walking around boxes and piles of 'stuff'.

Digging in dirt is so much more fun than housework!

I have plans plans plans.....just wish I could take you guys with me to the nursery so you could tell me what to buy! I don't know much about gardening and know less about the names of plants!

Hey Don,
Maybe I'll just wander over to the dahlia site. Thanks for the invitation.

I can see you just skipping down the aisles at the nursery NY. Just don't plant that lemon tree somewhere it can reach out and stick people! Meyers are so delicious. What rose did you buy? Notice that I'm avoiding asking you about unpacking - don't want you even thinking about it when you're in the garden! Those boxes will be waiting for you after your garden is in. Just unpack those gardening clothes! LOL

I'm laughing doss that you're asking me the name of something......in the recent DG poll about using botanical names, I admitted to using a 'thingy' taxonomy.....so in that vein I can say it is a 'white rose bush-like thingy'....I believe the label on the pot said florabunda(?)...I will hop over to plant files to see if I am even close!

White floribunda is just fine!

Hey ny, do you ever eat at Steer n' Ale? It's on Rosemead and Foothill.

thanks doss.....(I am giving my self gold star)

Weegy -

I haven't yet, but if you recommend it I might! I've only been out to eat once in the month or so since I've been here and that was business dinner.

I am going to order myself a more interesting life tonight..... :-))

I highly recommend it, my husband owns it! Stop in and say hi to Tony!

Oh wow! A real DG connection! I'll do that weegy!

My first thought was Crape Myrtle. It can be grown as a bush, if you cut down the tree, it will come up from the base thus making a bush out of the plant. Please post a picture when the flower buds open.

Thank you! I will snap some soon as they are starting to open now. A pretty purple.

I read on another site that some crape myrtles do get fungal diseases and the way she treated it was to spray it with Daconil every spring. Sounds like a big job to me.

I have sprayed them now once and am supposed to spray again this weekend. We'll see how it goes!

Hey, Wait a minute! I'm one of those Berkeley fruitloops! LOL. I was just reading on DG last nite of a powdery mildew solution and it's cheap. 5 parts water to 1 part milk. Any milk.