Thank you so much! What does it mean when you say "cultural"? I hear this all the time on garden forums and I never know what it means. Does it mean "something that naturally happens with the species?"

'Cultural' refers to the conditions that the plant is grown in and how it is cared for - soil conditions, pH, water, the amount of sunlight or shade received, pruning, climate and weather, etc.

Thank you! Should I wait until Fall to cut off the dead wood on my maple? Somewhere I heard they can bleed if pruned at the wrong time. It is just a few small sticks growing out from secondary branches--no major limbs. Do you have any experience with Gwen's Rose Delight or also called Shirazz? I have a hard time finding good info on it. I work at a garden center and a Jap Maple enthusiast convinced me to buy it BC he said it was the perfect specimen as far as it's shape and branching and I just moved into my first house and wanted something unusual as a specimen in the front yard (aside from the cherries and pears and Bloodgoods and purple leaf plums).

You can prune off dead wood any time - dead wood does not bleed. btw, bleeding is more of a concern to the gardener than it is to the tree :-) If you want to avoid it don't prune between December and the end of March.....that's when the sap is most actively running.

Gwen's Rose Delight/Shirazz was a big seller when it was first introduced but at least in my area, it has fallen out of favor and one seldom sees it for sale any longer. Prone to a lot of leaf damage in summer with much sun and also more vulnerable to winter dieback and pseudomonas (bacterial blight) than a lot of other selections.

Yours seems to be in a good deal of sun. That might be contributing to the leaf problems. This is considered a variegated maple and would be happiest out of any afternoon sun. You would also get better coloring on it if it was not exposed to as much direct sun.

Thank you so much! You are full of info! I think i might transplant it then to an area that is mostly shaded from the house. Good thing Fall and cooler weather is coming! Thanks again!