I have a gorgeous Crimson Queen with a corkscrew trunk that started going through some sort of trauma late last year that I couldn't quite figure out and sadly as I looked at it today, I'm not sure it survived. I suspect that it may be due to vole damage but am unsure. Anyway, there are virtually no signs of new buds while most other JM's and other trees in my yard are all budded. I have a Lion's Head just 40 feet away that is loaded with new buds.

Is it too early to definitively change the 'I have' to an 'I had' or is it time to get to grieving and finding closure for my dearly departed acer?