OMOlivia McClure

1. Article · Aug 25, 2026 · Olivia McClure, Louisiana Ag Center

   Made in the shade: Spiral gingers’ tropical flair brightens gardens (opens the original)

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   Tropical plants feel right at home in the hot, humid conditions encountered during Southern summers. Native to regions near the equator, these plants combine the ability to endure our climate with bold foliage and colorful blooms. In Louisiana, some of our most reliable tropical plants are gingers — and gardeners have many varieties to choose from. One group that does especially well here is the Costaceae family, whose members are more commonly known as spiral, or corkscrew, gingers. These pla

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2. Article · Aug 9, 2026 · Olivia McClure, LSU Ag Center

   Sooty mold isn’t a disease. It’s a sign of an insect problem (opens the original)

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   As summer wears on, it’s not uncommon to spy a crape myrtle in the Louisiana landscape whose bark — and maybe even leaves — appears to have grown a powdery, black crust. Usually, this is not a disease. It’s more likely to be something called sooty mold. “It’s actually a fungus that is a symptom of the problem,” said LSU AgCenter entomologist Aaron Ashbrook. “It is growing on the sugary excretions from several different pest insects that are on the tree.” Those pests often inclu

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