Does Zuni Crape Myrtle Get Powdery Mildew?

Q: I purchased what I thought was Zuni crape myrtle. It is showing lots of powdery mildew which it’s supposed to resist. Its flowers don’t resemble Zuni I suspect it isn’t a Zuni. 

A: You are absolutely correct. Crapemyrtles have a wide assortment of bloom colors, ranging from white to pink, red, purple, and lavender. ‘Zuni’ is one of the best purple-blooming crapemyrtles. It was released by the U.S. National Arboretum as a superior cultivar due to its resistance to powdery mildew. You didn’t say how the flowers don’t look like ‘Zuni’ but if the flower color doesn’t match, it’s not ‘Zuni’. Contact the store where you bought it and ask them for a replacement. In case you are curious about the huge selection of crapemyrtle colors, sizes, and mildew resistance I’ve collected everything you need at bit.ly/GAcrapevar.