Use Dursban around the bad grass patch in a band about 4 feet wide. Citrus, croton, avocado and mango are susceptible to spider mites and thrips . Discourage them with a strong jet of water from a hose directed to the undersides of the leaves. Hibiscus, citrus, palms, gardenia and ixora are susceptible to scale and mealybug . But when a tree grows into power lines, the electric company.
Crape myrtle is a longtime favorite with southern gardeners.
The big clusters of bloom remind us of lilacs in the North. The large trusses come in pink, red, white, and purple shades as well as bicolor. Bloom period is from May to October. These large shrubs or small trees grow to 20 feet and are multiseason plants that offer showy flowers, attractive bark, red to yellow fall leaf color and an interesting growth habit. All this would be plenty for the average gardener, but South Floridians demand year-round foliage.