Attempting to save a fading plant can feel hopeless. Fortunately for one Reddit user, the r/arborists subreddit specializes in offering hope to people in those kinds of situations.
The original poster asked the online tree experts for help saving the crape myrtle in their front yard.
"The tree has barely bloomed in 4 years, loses most the leaves early in summer, has had some mild fungus issues," the OP said. "I keep it clear in the middle of the tree, prune downward growing branches every February, and did try treating it with some fungal treatment with no improvement."
"The amount of small roots on the surface of the ground and the base of the tree are concerning me," they added before asking for advice.
Anyone who has struggled to keep an ailing tree or plant healthy can relate to this post. It often feels like nothing you do makes a difference.
While several Redditors offered advice, one stood out among the rest.
"Maybe consider removing this tree if all else fails," they said. "These things f****** suck."
"Overly planted, not native and somewhat aggressive, if not invasive," another commenter said.
The crape myrtle is not considered invasive in the OP's South Carolina location, but it is not native. The trees originated on the other side of the world in Southeast Asia and Australia and were introduced to South Carolina in the late 18th century.
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Mowing the lawn 🏡 This may be the reason the OP is struggling with the tree. While they may not want to remove it, they may be better off with a rewilded or natural lawn.
By allowing nature to reclaim some of their property or bringing in some native plants, the OP could reduce their yard work costs and labor requirements. They could also provide a healthier ecosystem for food supply-protecting pollinators.
The OP also received some solid advice if they want to save the crape myrtle.
"Definitely mulch around the tree," one commenter said. "Mulch out as far as you can go and around 100mm deep (about 4 inches)."
"Definitely re-mulch this base," another said before warning that "if the root flair starts getting light it will turn into a sucker fest that you'll never get ahead of."
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