Is this crepe myrtle salvageable (moss covered)?

[Feebys Owner]

Hi all,
Been fighting moss on this tree for years now, even have had moss removed a couple of times but that has been a while back.
Is it worth it to pay $700+ (last quote I got a couple of years ago) to have the moss removed again, or is this tree 'toast'? Will be getting new growth (maybe) in the next month or so.
Thanks.

 

[Raintree]

A determination cannot be made without knowing the health of your tree.

 

[Feebys Owner]

A determination cannot be made without knowing the health of your tree.

Which I suspect isn't well given the amount of moss on it.

 

[Raintree]

The moss isn't parasitic, not the cause of poor tree health. It however can be a indication of tree decline. Efforts to improve tree health rather then moss removal is the recommendation.

 

[calamari]

I think you asked the same question about that tree Mar. 12, 2019 and nobody answered. Seems odd.
I'm not an Arborist so... but is this the only tree you have with the moss problem? We have Crepe Mrytle trees that were pollarded in the past putting a lot of stress on the trees I'd assume but we just don't have a moss problem at this elevation. Mistletoe is the parasitic killer here. That looks like Spanish Moss which I guess isn't a parasite. I know it's Wikipedia that gets slammed for some reason but here's some info on Spanish Moss.
This information will cost you two Whoppers and a couple beers that I'll split with you.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_moss

 

[Feebys Owner]

I think you asked the same question about that tree Mar. 12, 2019 and nobody answered. Seems odd.
I'm not an Arborist so... but is this the only tree you have with the moss problem? We have Crepe Mrytle trees that were pollarded in the past putting a lot of stress on the trees I'd assume but we just don't have a moss problem at this elevation. Mistletoe is the parasitic killer here. That looks like Spanish Moss which I guess isn't a parasite. I know it's Wikipedia that gets slammed for some reason but here's some info on Spanish Moss.
This information will cost you two Whoppers and a couple beers that I'll split with you.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_moss

LOL. I did ask before and ended up paying a lot of money for the moss to be removed. The moss is only affecting a couple of my many crepe myrtles, the ones that are more shaded, so that seems to be part of the problem. However, it is now migrating to my 5 yo drake elm. That tree is small enough right now to easily remove the moss myself - this crepe myrtle, not so much. We do not have moss in the neighborhood as a rule, not even on nearby oak trees. I have one neighbor who also has moss in his crepe myrtles, but that is about it.

 

[calamari]

LOL. I did ask before and ended up paying a lot of money for the moss to be removed. The moss is only affecting a couple of my many crepe myrtles, the ones that are more shaded, so that seems to be part of the problem. However, it is now migrating to my 5 yo drake elm. That tree is small enough right now to easily remove the moss myself - this crepe myrtle, not so much. We do not have moss in the neighborhood as a rule, not even on nearby oak trees. I have one neighbor who also has moss in his crepe myrtles, but that is about it.

It's funny if you read that Wiki description as I think it was introduced to the US on purpose. Sort of like when U.S. Grant decided to plant carp all over the expanding states as a food source for recent immigrants from Europe who ate them there or when I got married the last time. They all just seemed like good ideas at the time.
It looks like the way it kills a tree is by blocking sunlight and thereby photosynthesis. I'd give some thought to just calling it a defeat and removing the tree and others that are in the shade allowing the moss to grow and further shade those trees. It's all over the south and keeping it off your plants will be asking a nurseryman or Arborist I guess, how to prevent its growth because it sounds like it will come back.