Very new leaves hang down normally.
Your maple has other issues though. It doesn't look too good.
Mike

Thanks for replying... Yes...those leaves look much better now but there is something else definately going on. The uppermost branches still only have tiny leaf buds and there are groups on ants forming on various parts of the trunk....Should I dig up the tree and place it elsewhere? It's far from dead (even where it hasn't leafed out yet). The surrounding soil isnt the greatest but that's because we're still in the process of landscaping our back yard....

Bloodgoods bud out earlier than most Japanese Maples and sometimes have a hard time if you had a freeze during the time of budding out. I am in zone 5 and have learned that I cannot have a Bloodgood in my zone. I lost one due to this very reason. I replaced it with an Emperor 1. They are a similar tree and bud out later, giving them a better chance of survival. I am a collector of Japanese maples. I have 12 varieties in my collection. I always read everthing available about each tree before purchasing it. I want to make sure I don't lose anymore. I love all of the different sizes and colors.

doesn't look good for sure and its pointing to the roots. I have to ask - how often (or not) have you watered this plant? I'm hesitant to pull out a plant looking like this without understanding the cause first. Im in Ontario too and your tree by now should be well foliaged. Something is disrupting water from getting to the branches (and leaves). Bloodgoods are good even in the border of zone 5 where I am. There are many large mature bloodgoods everywhere.


Possibilites to consider are:

drowning..

Your soil like hardpacked clay -- is it possible the hole is not draining out water properly. If so, consider that its like putting a plant in a bowl of water and it starts rotting.. and then causes the disruption.

solution: break up the hole and dig in compost to help drain that hole.

or lack of watering..... keep it moist but not overmoist...


or when it was put in the ground last year, there were air pockets which in winter became filled up with water and ice.. (a common killer of plants in winter)

When putting in a plant, water well in the beginning until all airbubbles come out. then water should drain out slowly but steadily.

or overwatering...

Stop


or overfertilizing.. high nitrogen fertilizers can burn and burns roots.

Dont apply high nitrogen fertilzers to young transplanted plants - not until they begin showing good growth.

or disease...

Like sudden wilt which affects a number of plants. I have a variety of trees die on me last season and this as well. When that happens, nothing you can do but to discard the plant.