Moldy leafed Crape Myrtles (Lagerstoemia indica) line a stretch of sidewalk along Vaca Valley Parkway. I've noticed them for years during walks, relieved that the three trees planted in my Vacaville yard were trouble free. But that was yesterday. Today my colorful show-stopping bloomers are under attack by powdery mildew. This year's dry weather, and a combination of warm days and cool nights, contributed to the onset of this disease.

Whether in bush form or tree, myrtles are resilient and often chosen by landscapers for their ability to deflect summer heat. That's why this genus is a popular planting for parking lots, buffer strips and traffic medians, adapting well to growing close to concrete. Crape myrtles are also drought tolerant. So a word to the wise is if you're considering adding a myrtle to your yard, choose a variety with resistance to powdery mildew. Here are a just few:   • White cultivars:  Acoma and Natchez • Lavender cultivars:  Apalachee, Lipan, Muskogee, Wichita, Yuma and Zuni • Red cultivars:   Tonto • Pink cultivars:  Sioux, Biloxi, Comanche, Hopi, Miami, Osage, Pecos, Tuscarora, Tuskegee

However, if you're already living with a healthy established crape myrtle, don't assume you are exempt from mildew-free. In the spring, keep your bragging rights in check while keeping your eyes open for any gray or white fuzz draping across new leaf growth. You may notice that entire twigs are affected with mildew. Remember that this fungus won't kill the crape myrtle but does distort the leaves and can infect buds, diminishing bloom. First step in limiting the spread of powdery mildew is to prune the affected twigs. If that proves unsuccessful, spray the foliage and buds with a fungicide. Then, as a preventative step, repeat the process the following spring when the first leaves sprout.