Here's what it currently looks like.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Here's what it looked like last summer.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Have you got the mulch too high up on the trunk?

The mulch has been kept away from the trunk. I was instructed about keeping the mulch back when I bought it. What is the reason for keeping the mulch back?

The mulch level is fine. However if that area does not drain well then the tree will die. Japanese maples hate wet feet. The tree is obviously unhappy about something. It's probably the moisture level. It's either too wet or too dry in that area. That's a rather finicky variety so it may just be going through transplant shock, too. It's going into survival mode and throwing out a lot of new growth around the main trunk. Just make sure the ground in that area is moist but not overly wet or dry and wait and see what happens. If it's just transplant shock then it will fill out again in another year or two and you can prune it into a form that you like.

Did this tree come ball and burlapped or was it in a pot?

The tree is planted in pretty well draining soil being in front of the foundation. I'm a novice for sure but if I had to venture a guess I would say it didn't get enough water back in March when the buds were starting to engorge. We had an extremely dry March and April here in NH and I didn't water it. Being that initially it only had one bottom branch that leafed out I'm thinking that's the only branch that could pull enough moisture to fully leaf out. The other branches did nothing and by middle of May dropped their buds and were dying. So then I hacked away.

I know the poor tree looks pitiful now but I really hope it just survives and like you mentioned, i can trim it every year to get it back to a more happy shape. Even with the crazy mild winter and lack of early spring rain, everything and I mean everything else in my garden has done incredible this year with no special treatment. I have a couple of hostas that are at least 4 feet across when usual for them is 2.5 to 3 feet.

I will be careful to keep the moisture even and keep my fingers crossed.

So do you think that the few leaves it has put out will be enough for it to survive?

Sure, it has plenty of leaves of it. Don't do any pruning for at least a couple of years maybe longer while it fills out again. This is a slow growing tree. It may take a while to fill out. Was the tree in a pot before you planted it or was it ball and burlapped?

It was in a crate. Had to take off the metal container strips and break the wood away from it. This was a pretty big tree and my husband and I had all we could do to get it off the truck. We followed the planting directions from the dealer.

I still don't understand the way this tree was packaged. So there was a root ball inside of a crate?

Sure is lovely foliage. I understand why you want to hang onto it.
marie

Tree_oracle,

See the attachment that shows both of the actual Japanese Maples I bought last year. The red is center and the autumn moon is on the right. The photo was taken at the dealer to show my husband the trees I was looking to purchase. You can see the crating in the photo.

Here is a link that might be useful:

I couldn't tell exactly from your photo --- is the tree planted on a 'berm', that is is the level of the land on which your tree is planted raised up or is it planted at ground level? I ask because our 'Crimson Queen' has done well for 7 years. We planted in a raised bed, actually on the highest point of the berm.

Molie

Although I've seen Japanese maples in crates, I've never actually purchased on that way. Is there a pot within the crate or is it just soil (i. e. is the crate the pot)?

The wooden crate was indeed the "pot". Once we took off the metal around the top and bottom and pulled the wood off, we had the root ball and quite a bit of soil.

When planting my Autumn Moon, I chose a site that protected it from afternoon sun. I read somewhere (probably the Broken Arrow website) that this was the proper siting for this tree.

At this point I would only prune dead wood off of your plant. Make sure the area drains well enough and then give it a deep watering from a drip hose once or twice a week depending on the weather. If you are planning on moving it, do it in early Fall. It sounds like you have a lot of work and money invested in this tree. You might want to consult an arborist for either a consultation or to solve the problem.

Steve

I live in South Africa, with a temperature of between 61 - 93 Fahrenheit, or between 16 - 33 Celsius for summer. For winter 28 - 72 Fahrenheit, or between -2 - 22 Celsius.

This is the second time that I've lost a Japanese Maple the first lack of light or to much water. This time around I planted in a spot that received sun between 11 and 3 o'clock and rest of the day shaded.

It began to loose its leaves showing the typical water droplet on leaves burns that has been described on the forums. I addressed the watering from the sprinklers. Later it actively created new leaves, whereas other leaves were scorched basically green/brownish.

As discussed before the tree was most-likely under extreme stress and needed saving. Unfortunately I best thought to replant the tree since it was not located in a pot. So I left it in my room with plenty of light then went away a few days. I left instructions for it to be watered twice a week if the soil is dry.

Now I came back last night. I found no new sprouting leaves and the trunk is black with some green spots (original bark I presume). I was told the tree was covered with a white pest of some kind, and was thus cleaned with soap water.

First question: Is the tree dead?
Second: any general suggestions regarding the climate. Since the general solutions posted relates to 1)ensuring that the cultivar can cope with the climate and 2) planting it in positions that gets morning or later afternoon sun, thus filtered sun during noon.

The Idea of the cultivar is lovely, I'd like to have some of those trees in the back yard. Provided I can get it growing.

Yes, the tree is dead. A black trunk is never good. Also, you should never bring a Japanese maple inside. It is an outside tree and will not survive inside.

I would look for some Japanese maples that are known to do well in the Southeastern US where it can be quite hot and humid in the summer. Plus, the soil there is clay and does not drain well. The cultivars that you should look at have leaves that are not as dissected. Glowing Embers, Emperor One, and Bloodgood should do fine. Osakazuki is a nice green selection that has fiery red fall color. Sango Kaku is known to do well in the South, too if you want a cultivar with leaves that are more yellow.

Your tree should be in the shade when the sun is at its highest around 11-3 pm and should be in sun the rest of the day. That's the complete opposite of the sun exposure that your tree had. The soil should not be dry but it should also not be overly wet.

I'd like to try again with more heat resistant cultivars as suggested here and before.

There is a few spots that I've in mind. One is on the North-side of the house thus will get shade from the house during winter, bad idea? There is small evergreen tree on the one-side and delicious tree on the other. I've tried to keep an eye out during the 11-3 hour period, it varies between full shade, less and full sun (summer). We do not have clay ground regardless I will follow the guide provided. The spot is a problem for gardening it is very dry despite a sprinkler, lots of leaves in the bedding killing off most smaller plants. Recently I've started to introduce shrubs that seems to do well enough.

The other spot gets more sun pending on its placement. It is on the western side. It will get early morning shade, some full sun till just before noon, then is under a canopy of a much larger tree for the rest of the afternoon. Then again some sun just before sun set. The soil is high compost mix usually used for seedlings.

My Autumn Moon survived and after that butcher cutback in 2012, it is crazy good this year. Thank goodness as I was really attached to this tree.