From attracting pollinators to repelling pests, companion plants can benefit the crepe myrtles in your yard. And you'll add color and texture for more impact.

Neil Sperry gives answers on kumquats, crape myrtle aphids/scale, shade lawn fixes with mondograss, dahlias vs. zinnias, and Asian jasmine.

Crape myrtles are hardy, low-maintenance plants that come in a variety of sizes and colors. To encourage summer blooms, prune crape myrtles in late winter or early spring before new growth starts.

Neil Sperry weighs in on benefits of crape myrtle vs. yaupon holly alongside streets, planting oak acorns and when to lay sod on dog-worn paths.

Dear Neil: Regarding your recommendation of crape myrtles along streets, I do admit that under certain circumstances they can be spectacular, but they are not native to our state, and their seeds can ...

Picture this: a once-graceful crape myrtle, reduced to sad, bare stumps each winter — a practice known as “crape murder.” Many believe this drastic pruning will create a spectacular show of flowers, ...

We all enjoy the colorful blooms of flowering crape myrtles in the summer. But it’s those same trees that all too often fall victim to a misguided winter ritual known as “crape murder,” the aggressive ...

MURRELLS INLET — The healthcare provider planning to open a psychiatric hospital in Murrells Inlet will host a town hall meeting about the project on Jan. 28. The 6 p.m. meeting at the South Strand ...

I think I diagnosed the white material on the bark of my crapemyrtle as scale. There’s also black stuff on the bark that won’t come off. What can I do? You have a few options, ranging from tolerance ...

Q: I saw crape myrtles in an urban landscape a couple of days ago that have almost all their leaves still in place even though we’re way past the mid-point of winter. What would a real cold spell do ...